Try to imagine your college years sans the sporting events—can you do it? Nothing to rally the entire student body in unity, no tailgates, and without come-from-behind glory. Something sweet would be missing, because becoming a fan of your school is an aspect of college that for many of us can never be replicated. It’s a special place, the stadium packed with your fellow students beside themselves with joy, that won’t ever be the same after you cross the line into an alumna.

The feeling of Number One is one to be savored. Read on for an appreciation of the female dynasties in college athletics.

1. North Carolina Tar Heels Soccer

NCAA Champions: 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009

UNC’s prestigious soccer club boasts such distinguished alumnae as USA Olympic soccer hero Mia Hamm. In their latest feat, the Tar Heels struck in the third minute of play and clung to that lead until the end to topple Stanford 1-0 and snag the 2009 championship. Also in 2009: Multiple-time Coach of the Year recipient Anson Dorrance became the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history, by achieving 20 titles in a single sport.

2. Connecticut Huskies Basketball

NCAA Champions: 2000, 2002-2004, 2009-2010

After Stanford held the Huskies to 12 points in the first half—the lowest ever in a championship first half—UConn stormed back to score 17 of the first 19 points at the start of the second in the 2010 national championship. They would not trail again, ultimately besting the Cardinals 53-47. The school that has produced 11 WNBA first-round draft picks and 10 Olympians looked primed for another title in 2011, but fell to Notre Dame 72-63 in the Final Four.

3. Stanford Cardinals Tennis

NCAA Champions: 2001, 2002, 2004-2006, 2010

With 15 team tennis titles, Stanford has cemented its legacy in women’s tennis competition. In 2010, eighth-ranked Stanford triumphed over third-ranked Florida 4-3 in Athens, GA, despite an early deficit. The stiff competition came down to a final match between Merrit Boonstra of Florida and Mallory Burdette of Stanford, which Burdette decided in a three-set thriller that featured four match points.

4. Brown Bears Rowing

NCAA Champions: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008

What usually boils down to a Battle of the Bears between Brown and Cal (Brown lost the tiebreaker after deadlocking with Cal in 2006), turned into a tight race with the Washington Huskies in 2008. Gleaming Lake Natoma, CA, housed the second varsity Bears as they rowed first in their grand final races, allowing Brown to outdistance the competition with 67 total points to Washington’s 59 and Cal’s 53. Four national titles in six years render Brown the most successful program in NCAA Rowing championship history.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions Volleyball

NCAA Champions: 1999, 2007-2010

In 2010, fourth-seeded Penn State continued their hot streak with a 3-0 national championship sweep of Cal. Senior Blair Brown put up 18 kills and freshman Ali Longo earned three aces, both the most of all players, to bring the Nittany Lions’ title total to five. Over the last four years, Penn State women’s volleyball has won 24 consecutive NCAA postseason matches.

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6. Minnesota Golden Gophers Dance Team

UDA Div. 1A Champions: 2003-2006, 2010, 2011

They dance, they dazzle, they dominate: In 2006, the Golden Gophers became the only dance team to win four straight national titles in the past decade. They repeated in 2010 and 2011 with national championship victories in both Division 1A Jazz and Pom—the first dance team to garner the coveted double title.

7. Northwestern Wildcats Lacrosse

NCAA Champions: 2005-2009

It took two halves of regulation and three periods of overtime, but in the 89^th second of sudden-death play, the ‘Cats surpassed Penn to head to the 2009 NCAA Championship. The struggle was less pronounced there, as Northwestern eclipsed North Carolina 21-7 to earn five consecutive NCAA titles, two undefeated seasons, and the best all-time NCAA tournament winning percentage (.781.) In 2010, the Wildcats returned to the final round of the NCAA tournament, but this time fell 13-11 to pedigreed lacrosse powerhouse Maryland.

8. Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Rifle

NCAA Champions: 1999-2004, 2006-2008

Then-Governor Sarah Palin watched from the stands as Alaska Fairbanks claimed the NCAA Rifle crown in 2007 on their own turf. After the monumental team of 2007 graduated, a young Nanook team of three freshmen and three sophomores rose. They proved their clout by repeating with another NCAA Championship in 2008, shooting the exact same score as the 2007 squad.

9. Georgia Bulldogs Gymnastics

NCAA Champions: 2005-2009

On the very last event of the 2009 championship meet, Georgia gripped perfection when senior Courtney Kupets vaulted to the tune of a 10.0. After 26 years of coaching, Coach Suzanne Yoculan retired with a tenth national title under her belt, the Gym Dogs’ fifth in a row. Georgia remains the only program to advance to the Super Six every year since the current format began in 1993.

10. UCLA Bruins Water Polo

NCAA Champions: 2001, 2003, 2005-2009

To settle the 2009 championship, UCLA trumped nearby resident rival USC by one goal, 5-4. Senior goalkeeper Brittany Fullen played saving grace with 12 saves in the cage, while senior Tanya Gandy led in scores with three of the Bruins’ five goals. After the success, UCLA improved to 20-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament play with wins in its last 17 tournament matches, dating back to 2002.

Sources:

National Collegiate Athletic Association

http://alaskananooks.com/sports/2009/10/29/RIF_1029092901.aspx?path=rif&tab=history