The longest winning streak in college sports history came to an end this past weekend. The University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team’s run of 111 straight victories ended with a last-second overtime loss to Mississippi State during the Women’s Final Four tournament. The lady Huskies remain the most successful college sports program in the country, with eleven national titles, over forty conference regular season championship wins, and the two longest winning streaks in both men’s and women’s college basketball. While the Huskies’ first loss since 2014 ended a monumental run, it can’t impact their unmatched impact on sports.
Women's basketball has been an emerging sport for decades. From the birth of the sport in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the success of Title IX in 1972 and the founding of the WNBA in 1996, women’s basketball fought a long battle for respect. The Huskies pushed the sport forward like no other team, breaking barriers and records, and influencing a generation of female athletes. Like Red Sox Nation or Patriots Nation, UConn built a following. Rabid fandom is not unique to sports, but it was for women's college basketball.
I was one of those fans. I grew up attending UConn basketball camps and, like many of the young women who attend seasonal games at Gampel Pavilion, I watched players like Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti come into their own as players during the 1990s. I followed their careers from successful Division 1 players to the Olympic team, the WNBA, and successful careers in coaching and professional sports. The program, built under the tutelage of head coach Geno Auriemma, launched athletes such as Rebecca Lobo, Svetlana Abrosimova, Nikesha Sales, and others. They dominated the court at UConn and became role models to women in basketball and beyond.
One of my idols was UConn point guard Rizzotti. Born and raised in Connecticut, Rizzotti would lead the 1995 UConn team to their 35–0 perfect season and their first national championship. She would make the Olympic team in 1996 and later play in the WNBA.
“The interest in women's basketball grew exponentially in my four years at UConn,” Rizzotti says today. “It got to the point that every young girl in the state looked up to us as role models and wanted to be involved in basketball. We took a lot of pride in how we represented ourselves and made it clear that excelling in the classroom and playing the game the right way was just as important as winning.”
Fresh off of UConn’s first undefeated season in 1995, the following year would turn out to be a landmark for women in sports, with softball, soccer, and basketball teams all earning gold medals at the 1996 Olympics. For the first time, female athletes were launched into the spotlight.
“We saw fathers of little girls begin to appreciate what we were capable of and think about women's athletics in a whole different light,” says Rizzotti. “It was a wonderful time to be a part of the program and see the positive influence we could have on so many people of different generations.”
Rizzotti would eventually retire from professional basketball and become the head coach of the University of Hartford Women's basketball program. After 17 seasons there, she was recently appointed head coach at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She stills see the influence of the sport as being bigger than basketball.
“I have an opportunity to influence these young women at an age just before they are ready to go out into the real world,” says coach Rizzotti. “I take pride in challenging them to grow as people, students, and basketball players. My job is to put obstacles in front of them and then teach them how to overcome adversity.”
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.