It’s March Madness time! Here at Estrela, we are taking our brackets to the next level. Join us each round to learn something fun about the schools in the tournament! In the first round, we explored the mascots, our second round celebrated notable alumni, in the Sweet 16 we learned about campus traditions, and in the Elite 8 we discussed selectivity.

Now that we are down to the Final Four, let’s look at some details of the remaining schools!

UCONN vs ALABAMA

The University of Connecticut is a public university located in a rural setting in Storrs, Connecticut.  Established in 1881, UCONN is the smallest university of the Final Four, but is still considered a large college with 18,397 undergraduates.  Popular programs and majors include Psychology, Economics, and Health Sciences.  The Huskies compete in the Big East conference.  Across all sports, UCONN has won 23 team championships, including wins in men’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, and field hockey.  They have won 5 previous NCAA basketball championships: 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, and are the current defending champions with their 2023 win.

The University of Alabama was founded in 1831 and is also a large public university.  It is located in a suburban setting in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and has an undergraduate population of 32,458.  Business, Management, and Marketing are the most popular academic areas with 29% of students enrolled in those programs. Engineering is popular, as well. The Crimson Tide compete in the Southeastern Conference and have won 10 NCAA championships in team sports, with wins in men’s golf, women’s gymnastics, softball, and women’s golf, as well as 18 national championships in football awarded by a variety of selectors (currently the FBS). They have never won the basketball championship and, in fact, 2024 is their first appearance in the Final Four!

PURDUE vs NC STATE

North Carolina State University, established in 1887, is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The public university’s urban campus setting is home to 26,254 students.  Popular majors and programs at NC State are Engineering, Business, and Biomedical/Biological Sciences.  The Wolfpack competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  Men’s basketball and women’s cross country have earned a combined total of 5 NCAA championships. The two basketball championships were won in 1974 and 1983. The 1983 game had one of the most iconic endings to an NCAA championship, when Lorenzo Charles came through with a last second dunk after a 30 foot desperation heave and Jim Valvano stormed the court. Jimmy V, the NC State coach from 1980-90, was also the pioneer for the cancer fundraising organization “Jimmy V Foundation” and the “Never, Ever Give Up” speech at the 1993 ESPY awards while facing a terminal cancer diagnosis.  

Purdue University is the largest of the Final Four colleges with 37,949 undergraduate students.  Founded in 1869, Purdue is a public university with an urban/suburban setting in West Lafayette, Indiana.  Engineering, Computer Science, and Aerospace Engineering/Technology are the most popular majors. The Boilermakers compete in the Big Ten Conference.  Across all team sports, Purdue has won 3 NCAA championships, with one each in men’s golf, women’s basketball, and women’s golf.  They also won a football national championship by poll in 1931. In basketball, Purdue has made 3 NCAA Final Four appearances and played in 1 championship game, but has never won the championship.

While there are some similarities among the Final Four teams, as they are all large public universities, there are clearly also some differences. The teams on the court represent schools with rich histories and diverse strengths.  As we enjoy the games, let’s also celebrate the academic and athletic strengths and unique cultures of these universities.

Who will make it through to the championship game? Join us after the Final Four concludes, where we will summarize the information gathered throughout the tournament for the final two colleges!