NCAA women's basketball attendance soared past the nine million mark for the first time in history in 2001-02. It was the 18th consecutive record year for women's basketball attendance.

National women's attendance jumped by more than 700,000, as 9,532,781 spectators flocked to the 2001-02 games. Of that figure, a record 6,937,813 attended Division I contests. It was the third straight year that Division I eclipsed six million in total attendance.

The Division I per-game average of 1,590, which included both the Division I championship and neutral-site games, also surpassed the former mark. Additionally, Divisions II and III posted all-time highs, all of which contributed to the record-setting season overall.

NCAA women's attendance was compiled for the first time in 1982, and overall attendance in the three divisions has increased every year since 1984.

Gains in every division

Division I institutions were up 432,325 in home attendance, while Divisions II and III increased by 237,392 and 80,270, respectively. The Division I championship tournament also set records in total attendance (326,767) and average per session (7,780).

The Women's Final Four in San Antonio had back-to-back 29,619 crowds in the Alamodome for the semifinals and final, the largest single-game crowds since women's championships began in 1982.

For 2001-02, the 975 teams in all divisions averaged 779 spectators per game, also a record, while total attendance was up 708,005 over last year. The 322 Division I institutions totaled a record 6,502,159 in home attendance and set a per-game record of 1,541.

The Big 12 Conference, in its sixth year of competition, surpassed the one million mark for the first time in women's conference history to capture the national attendance crown. The league totaled 1,002,251 spectators and averaged 5,331 per session, both records. The Big 12 is the only conference to exceed the 5,000 per-game mark (the league also had 5,030 in 2000-01).

For Division I league totals, conference tournament neutral-site attendance is added to conference home attendance.

Twelve Division I conferences posted records in total attendance in 2001-02 and seven leagues set per-game-average marks. Of the 31 Division I conferences, eight averaged more than 2,000 spectators per game and six others were above the 1,000 mark.

There were no surprises in Division I home attendance leaders, as Tennessee led the nation for the sixth straight year. The Lady Volunteers totaled 200,132 and averaged 14,295 per game to outdistance No. 2 Texas Tech, which totaled 188,172 for a 12,545 per-game average.

Connecticut was No. 3 for the third consecutive time, averaging 11,907 to nip Iowa State at 10,296. New Mexico rounded out the top five, averaging 9,229 per outing.

Divisions II and III

North Dakota captured the Division II attendance title for the second straight year, averaging 2,843 per game. South Dakota State finished second at 2,575, and nine-time champion North Dakota State was third at 2,430. Augustana (South Dakota) was fourth in Division II, averaging 1,947, and Emporia State was fifth at 1,674.

In Division III, Hardin-Simmons stopped Wisconsin-Eau Claire's streak at three by taking the home attendance national title with an average of 816. Wisconsin-Stout also averaged 816 per game, but Hardin-Simmons took the crown by a margin of just five fans in the totals.

Capital finished third in Division III with a 671 average, and Wisconsin-Eau Claire dropped to fourth place in 2001-02 with a 658 norm. Rounding out the top five was Washington (Missouri), which averaged 642 per game.

In Division II conferences, the North Central Conference took its 12th consecutive national attendance crown by averaging 1,624 per game. The NCC outdistanced the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1,149). The Lone Star Conference was third (711), followed by the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (651) and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (532).

In Division III, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference won its second straight national title by averaging 425 to edge the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (404). The University Athletic Association was third at 360, followed by the Ohio Athletic Conference (358) and the Northwest Conference (309).