ALL-AMERICA | ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA | STATISTICAL ARCHIVE

Under the guidance of head coach Nancy Fahey, who has completed 23 years on Danforth Campus, the Washington University women's basketball team has established itself as one of the most successful programs in NCAA women's basketball history.

The Bears defeated Messiah College, 67-45, on March 17, 2001 in Danbury, Conn. to become just the second team in NCAA women's history to win four-consecutive national titles.

With a 79-33 win over the University of Southern Maine in the 2000 national championship game, Washington U. became the only Division III team to win three consective national championships and just the second team in NCAA basketball history--any division, men or women--to post back-to-back undefeated national championship seasons. Along the way, the Bears broke the NCAA women's all-divisions record for consecutive wins, rolling up an 81-game streak that stretched from February of 1998 into January of 2001. That streak also ranks second all-time in NCAA basketball history (all divisions, men or women), in longevity. Only the UCLA men of the early 1970's, who won 88-straight, went farther.

The Bears won their second-straight national title with a 74-65 win over the College of St. Benedict that gave WU the first undefeated season in school history. Washington U. captured its first national title in 1997-98 with a 77-69 win at the University of Southern Maine.

Fahey has directed three other Bear teams (1990-1991, 1993-1994, 2006-07 and 2008-09) to the Final Four, with the latter three squads advancing to the title game. Washington U. has won 20 or more games 19 of the last 22 years (including a school-record 30 wins in 1998-99 and 1999-2000) and has captured 18 University Athletic Association crowns in 22 years, including a streak of 10-straight titles from 1998-2007. Over the last 11 seasons, the Bears have posted a 306-39 record (.887), and WU has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 20 straight years. In 2008-09, WU went 25-6 overall and advanced to the NCAA championship game for the second time in three years. Washington University's 20-straight NCAA Division III Championship berths is an NCAA record.

Fahey, named Division III Region Coach of the Year six times (including 2005-06) and the 2000 Division III National Coach of the Year, has coached four NCAA Division III Players of the Year and six UAA MVPs. Eleven student-athletes have also earned 30 All-America citations during the Fahey era. Three Bears players have totaled eight Academic All-America awards.

The Bears sport a 263-38 (.874) all-time record in conference play, the best overall mark in UAA history. Washington U., which picked up win No. 600 in program history in 2008-09, owns an all-time record of 603-161 (.789).