44°
The UConn women's basketball team will have a national championship victory parade in downtown Hartford on Sunday, April 13. Gov. Ned Lamont first announced the details of the celebration on Tuesday, April 8.
The Huskies captured their 12th women's basketball national title in dominating fashion, defeating reigning champion South Carolina 82-59 in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, April 6.
"The UConn women's basketball team has proven that they are the best in the nation, and now it's time for Connecticut to give them the victory celebration they have earned," said Gov. Lamont. "The student athletes on this team have worked very hard and they deserve to know how much we appreciate everything they've accomplished.
"I urge basketball fans from all over Connecticut to come to Hartford on Saturday morning and let them know just how proud we are of our hometown team."
This will be the third-straight year the capital city will hold a parade celebrating Connecticut's champions. The UConn men's basketball team won back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024 but lost by two points to eventual champion Florida in the second round of the 2025 tournament.
The women will leave the State Capitol building at 1 p.m. on April 13. The route will follow the same one from the men's recent parades, traveling under the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at Bushnell Park, turning right onto Jewell Street, and heading up Trumbull Street.
The parade will end in front of the XL Center, the secondary home of the Huskies. A celebration rally with speeches is expected to begin at around 1:30 p.m.
Trumbull Street will be closed between Church and Asylum streets for several hours before the parade. Trinity and Elm streets will also be closed near the State Capitol.
The women were powered to their first national title since 2016 by senior star Paige Bueckers. The presumptive WNBA No. 1 draft pick averaged 24.8 points per game and shot 48.3% on three-pointers in six NCAA Tournament games.
Senior guard Azzi Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four, scoring 24 points in the victory over the Gamecocks. The Virginia native will return to Storrs for her final year of eligibility.
Freshman phenom Sarah Strong completed UConn's "Big Three," also scoring 24 points in the national title game and grabbing 15 rebounds. The forward was a second-team all-American and the championship win came on the one-year anniversary of when she announced her commitment to play at UConn.
With a dozen titles now on his résumé, head coach Geno Auriemma said this championship may be the most rewarding for him.
"They've all been gratifying, don't get me wrong," Auriemma said on UConnHuskies.com. "But this one here, because of the way it came about and what's been involved, it's been a long time since I've been that emotional when a player has walked off the court."
Beyond the parade, Connecticut has been busy celebrating the newest championship for the "Basketball Capital of the World."
The state Department of Transportation quickly updated the well-known signs on Interstate 84 near Exit 68 to reflect the 12th women's basketball title. The team posed with the championship trophy in front of one sign as they returned to campus for a rally at Gampel Pavillion on Monday, April 7.
Many retailers have also been selling plenty of championship memorabilia to fans. You can find the official merchandise worn by the players while celebrating at Amalie Arena on Fanatics, with other companies selling gear like Dick's Sporting Goods, Homefield, and the official UConn bookstore.
You can click here to see the full parade route for the UConn women's basketball national championship parade.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
