Governor Ned Lamont has announced a celebratory parade and rally in downtown Hartford following the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team’s 2025 NCAA National Championship win. The parade, which kicks off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, encourages UConn fans to line the capitol city streets.
“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,” Governor Lamont said in the announcement.
The State of Connecticut is sponsoring the grand event in collaboration with the City of Hartford, the Hartford Business Improvement District and numerous business partners. The parade will begin at the State Capitol building at the corner of Trinity and Elm Street, proceeding north on Trinity Street through Bushnell Park, turning onto Jewell Street, then following Trumbull Street to commence a rally in front of the XL Center near Asylum Street, Lamont’s announcement says.
During the rally, which will start at approximately 1:30 p.m., spectators will hear from the women’s basketball players, head coaches Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey, Governor Ned Lamont and other key figures. “Game Day” Conor Geary is expected to emcee the rally, which will last approximately 30 minutes.
“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,” Lamont also said.
With their twelfth win in the books, the UConn women’s basketball team has won the NCAA National Championship in 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2025.
Over 60,000 fans attended the victory parade celebrations in Hartford last year and in 2023 in honor of the men’s basketball team, who brought home back-to-back titles.
This year’s event had originally been scheduled for Saturday but was postponed to Sunday due to a First Alert Weather Day for heavy rain and cold temperatures across the state. Sunday’s forecast calls for morning showers but otherwise cloudy with a low of 40 degrees and a high of 55 degrees in Hartford.
Students interested in visiting the event can take CT Transit Route 913 from UConn directly to Hartford using their U-Pass. Parking availability and traffic conditions will most likely be congested and rates more expensive due to the high volume of UConn fans participating in the celebration, so it is recommended to utilize the Hartford Line or buses instead of driving.
For those wishing to view the celebrations from the comfort of home or campus, the parade will be live broadcast on WFSB Channel 3 and streaming for free on UConn Plus. More information is available at wfsb.com.