The first Division 1 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship tournament took place in 1982 and featured just 32 teams.It was not the first championship game to be played in the sport, but it was the first to be held under the NCAA. Before the NCAA took over the administration of the tournament, there were several organizations that sponsored women’s basketball tournaments, including the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) and the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).

The first NCAA championship was between Louisiana Tech, who ended up being the champions, and Cheyney State. However, Cheyney State also made history that game. They were the only HBCU to make it to the championship game and to the Final Four. They remain the only HBCU to make it to the championship to this day. Since then, 19 HBCU women’s basketball programs have played in the March Madness bracket. The University of Tennessee and the University of Connecticut have dominated the championships with eight and 11 national titles.

This is only the fourth year the women’s tournament was given the rights to use the term March Madness in connection with their championship tournament. For years the NCAA only used the term March Madness, which is the intellectual property of the association, in relation to the men’s tournament. Since 2011, the University of Connecticut has reestablished itself as the premier program in women’s college basketball, winning six national championships over a span of eight years. The tournament has also played a crucial role in the growth and development of women’s college basketball, helping to increase the visibility and popularity of the sport. Today, March Madness continues to be one of the most popular and exciting events in women’s college sports, attracting fans from  around the world.