From Huskies Hero to WNBA Legend: The Unforgettable NCAA Journey of Women’s Basketball’s G.O.A.T.
Women’s basketball legend Diana Taurasi has officially retired, but before she made her way to the WNBA and Olympic stage, Taurasi was a star player for the NCAA. Her time in the NCAA was filled with championship wins, a dominating winning streak and numerous awards. Taurasi was a force to be reckoned with and she knew it. She owned the Big East. Here’s a look back at the NCAA seasons that created the legend.
Taurasi played for the University of Connecticut all four years of college. Her freshman year, Taurasi put up 361 total points playing 33 games. She had a free throw percentage of .878 and 29 blocks. The team finished Taurasi’s freshman season with a 32-3 record. The season ended with a loss to Notre Dame in the Final Four. Her freshman year would be the only year that Taurasi would lose a national title. Despite missing out on a national title, Taurasi earned herself four awards her freshman year: All-Big East Rookie Team selection, Associated Press Second Team All-American, Big East Championship Most Outstanding Player, and Kodak All-American.
Sophomore year was a perfect season for UConn. Taurasi led her team to a 39-0 season with 564 points. That's an average of 14.6 points per game. She also averaged 5.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds a game with a total of 46 blocks that season. Her team went on to beat Oklahoma for the national title that year with a final score of 82-70. This was revenge for their Final Four loss the year prior. For her sophomore year, Taurasi picked up three more awards: All-Big East First Team selection, Associated Press All-American, and Kodak All-American. This was only the beginning of a phenomenal legacy that Diana would lead UConn through.
By the end of her junior season, Taurasi had managed an almost impeccable record. In three years she had only lost four games. The only team UConn would fall to this year was Villanova, leaving UConn with a 37-1 season record. Taurasi would rack up 663 points this season, averaging 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Diana would lead UConn against Tennessee for the National Championship where, of course, they won with a final score of 73-68. Taurasi scored 28 points that game. Diana was given nine awards for her outstanding season: All-Big East First Team selection, Associated Press All-American, Associated Press Player of the Year, Big East Player of the Year, Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Naismith College Player of the Year, Kodak All-American, USBWA National Player of the Year, and the Wade Trophy. This had been the year of Diana Taurasi.
Senior year was just as dominant. Taurasi put up 568 points for her final season. Giving her a total of 2,156 points in her four years at UConn. The team lost four games in her final season with a 31-4 record. Taurasi lost a total of eight games in all four years. Diana brought UConn back to the National Championship to face Tennessee again. It was another victory for Taurasi with a 70-61 final score. Three consecutive national titles. At the end of the season, Taurasi added five more awards to her collection: All-Big East First Team selection, Associated Press All-American, Big East Player of the Year, Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and Naismith College Player of the Year.
Diana went on to be the number one pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft. She was selected by the Phoenix Mercury and this is where she would play for the next 20 years until she retired. Diana left a legacy at UConn. The type of legacy every NCAA women’s basketball player would dream of accomplishing. Taurasi left her mark at UConn and has paved the way for generations.
