Thirty-seven different Division I men’s basketball teams have claimed an NCAA Tournament championship.
That number will not grow on Monday, April 6, in the national championship game of the 2026 Men’s NCAA Tournament between No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Connecticut: Both the Wolverines and Huskies will look to add a trophy to their shelves when they square off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
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For UConn, the goal will be to move into sole ownership of third place with seven program national championships. Meanwhile, Michigan will look to become the 17th program to win two national titles.
The Huskies are seeking their third title in four seasons, while the Wolverines and their fans are desperate for the first one for the program since 1989 (and first for the Big Ten since 2000).
Here’s a look at every NCAA Tournament champion in Division I men’s basketball since the first tournament played in 1939, when Oregon defeated Ohio State in Evanston, Illinois.
Men’s NCAA Tournament champions by year
Here’s a look at the year-by-year NCAA Tournament national champions in men’s basketball:
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2025: Florida defeats Houston, 65-63
2024: UConn defeats Purdue, 75-60
2023: UConn defeats San Diego State, 76-59
2022: Kansas defeats North Carolina, 72-69
2021: Baylor defeats Gonzaga, 86-70
2020: Canceled due to COVID-19
2019: Virginia defeats Texas Tech, 85-77 (OT)
2018: Villanova defeats Michigan, 79-62
2017: North Carolina defeats Gonzaga, 71-65
2016: Villanova defeats North Carolina, 77-74
2015: Duke defeats Wisconsin, 6-63
2014: UConn defeats Kentucky, 60-54
2013: Louisville defeats Michigan, 82-76*
2012: Kentucky defeats Kansas, 67-59
2011: UConn defeats Butler, 53-41
2010: Duke defeats Butler, 61-59
2009: North Carolina defeats Michigan State, 89-72
2008: Kansas defeats Memphis, 75-68 (OT)
2007: Florida defeats Ohio State, 84-75
2006: Florida defeats UCLA, 73-57
2005: North Carolina defeats Illinois, 75-70
2004: UConn defeats Georgia Tech, 82-73
2003: Syracuse defeats Kansas, 81-78
2002: Maryland defeats Indiana, 64-52
2001: Duke defeats Arizona, 82-72
2000: Michigan State defeats Florida, 89-76
1999: UConn defeats Duke, 79-76
1998: Kentucky defeats Utah, 78-69
1997: Arizona defeats Kentucky, 84-79 (OT)
1996: Kentucky defeats Syracuse, 76-67
1995: UCLA defeats Arkansas, 89-78
1994: Arkansas defeats Duke, 76-72
1993: North Carolina defeats Michigan, 77-71
1992: Duke defeats Michigan, 71-51
1991: Duke defeats Kansas, 72-65
1990: UNLV defeats Duke, 103-73
1989: Michigan defeats Seton Hall, 80-79 (OT)
1988: Kansas defeats Oklahoma, 83-79
1987: Indiana defeats Syracuse, 74-73
1986: Louisville defeats Duke, 72-69
1985: Villanova defeats Georgetown, 66-64
1984: Georgetown defeats Houston, 84-75
1983: North Carolina State defeats Houston, 54-52
1982: North Carolina defeats Georgetown, 63-62
1981: Indiana defeats North Carolina, 63-50
1980: Louisville defeats UCLA, 59-54
1979: Michigan State defeats Indiana State, 75-64
1978: Kentucky defeats Duke, 94-88
1977: Marquette defeats North Carolina, 67-59
1976: Indiana defeats Michigan, 86-68
1975: UCLA defeats Kentucky, 92-85
1974: North Carolina State defeats Marquette, 76-64
1973: UCLA defeats Memphis State, 87-66
1972: UCLA defeats Florida State, 81-76
1971: UCLA defeats Villanova, 68-62
1970: UCLA defeats Jacksonville, 80-69
1969: UCLA defeats Purdue, 92-72
1968: UCLA defeats North Carolina, 78-55
1967: UCLA defeats Dayton, 79-64
1966: UTEP defeats Kentucky, 72-65
1965: UCLA defeats Michigan, 91-80
1964: UCLA defeats Duke, 98-83
1963: Loyola Chicago defeats Cincinnati, 60-58 (OT)
1962: Cincinnati defeats Ohio State, 71-59
1961: Cincinnati defeats Ohio State, 70-65 (OT)
1960: Ohio State defeats California, 75-55
1959: California defeats West Virginia, 71-70
1958: Kentucky defeats Seattle, 84-72
1957: North Carolina defeats Kansas, 54-53 (3 OT)
1956: San Francisco defeats Iowa, 83-71
1955: San Francisco defeats LaSalle, 77-63
1954: La Salle defeats Bradley, 92-76
1953: Indiana defeats Kansas, 69-68
1952: Kansas defeats St. John’s, 80-63
1951: Kentucky defeats Kansas State, 68-58
1950: CCNY defeats Bradley, 71-68
1949: Kentucky defeats Oklahoma State, 46-36
1948: Kentucky defeats Baylor, 58-42
1947: Holy Cross defeats Oklahoma, 58-47
1946: Oklahoma State defeats North Carolina, 43-40
1945: Oklahoma State defeats NYU, 49-45
1944: Utah defeats Dartmouth, 42-40 (OT)
1943: Wyoming defeats Georgetown, 46-34
1942: Stanford defeats Dartmouth, 53-38
1941: Wisconsin defeats Washington State, 39-34
1940: Indiana defeats Kansas, 60-42
1939: Oregon defeats Ohio State, 46-33
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Every Men’s March Madness national championship winners by year
