UConn became a charter member of the Big East in 1979. A conference realignment that began in 2011 saw most UConn teams join the American Athletic Conference in 2013, where memorable moments included national championships in women’s basketball (2014, 2015, and 2016) and men’s basketball (2014) as well as conference championships for women’s indoor track and field (2015, 2016), women’s soccer (2014, 2016), baseball (2017), and women’s cross country (2017).

But many fans still craved the old rivalries that had made the 1980s and 1990s so memorable for UConn athletics, and, in the 2020–21 season, UConn returned to its roots, competing in the Big East in most sports for the first time since 2013.

This week, as the men’s and women’s basketball teams prepare to start their new seasons, here are some of the back-home season highlights, which included seven championships.