# Cincinnati Bearcats women's basketball

The Cincinnati Bearcats women's basketball team represents the University of Cincinnati (UC) in women's basketball. The school competes in the Big 12 Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Bearcats play in Fifth Third Arena on the UC campus in Cincinnati, Ohio.

## Retired jerseys

Cincinnati Bearcats retired numbers :
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
| 24 | Cheryl Cook | F | 1982–1985 |

## Season by season results

As of before the 2024–25 season, the Bearcats have a 702–691 record, with four appearances in the NCAA Tournament (1989, 1999, 2002, and 2003) with one Second Round appearance in 2002. They have one conference championship (2002), while finishing runner up in 1999, 2001, and 2003, all while still being in Conference USA.
Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Mary Jo Huismann (Independent) (1971–1973) ||||||
| 1971–72 | Cincinnati | 3–6 | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Cincinnati | 7–11 | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Cincinnati | 9–6 | — | — | |
| Mary Jo Huismann: | Mary Jo Huismann: | 19–23 (.452) | 0–0 (–) | | |
| Tom Thacker (Independent) (1974–1978) ||||||
| 1974–75 | Cincinnati | 14–8 | — | — | |
| 1975–76 | Cincinnati | 17–8 | | | |
| 1976–77 | Cincinnati | 14–13 | | | |
| 1977–78 | Cincinnati | 10–14 | | | |
| Tom Thacker: | Tom Thacker: | 55–43 (.561) | 0–0 (–) | | |
| Juliene Simpson (Independent) (1978–1979) ||||||
| 1978–79 | Cincinnati | 12–18 | | | |
| Juliene Simpson: | Juliene Simpson: | 12–18 (.400) | 0–0 (–) | | |
| Ceal Barry (Independent) (1979–1983) ||||||
| 1979–80 | Cincinnati | 18–12 | | | |
| 1980–81 | Cincinnati | 27–9 | | | NWIT |
| 1981–82 | Cincinnati | 19–10 | | | |
| 1982–83 | Cincinnati | 19–11 | | | |
| Ceal Barry: | Ceal Barry: | 83–42 (.664) | 0–0 (–) | | |
| Sandy Smith (Metro Conference) (1983–1986) ||||||
| 1983–84 | Cincinnati | 16–12 | 3–7 | | |
| 1984–85 | Cincinnati | 16–12 | 4–6 | | |
| 1985–86 | Cincinnati | 17–13 | 4–5 | | |
| Sandy Smith: | Sandy Smith: | 49–37 (.570) | 11–18 (.379) | | |
| Laurie Pirtle (Metro Conference) (1986–1991) ||||||
| 1986–87 | Cincinnati | 6–22 | 3–9 | | |
| 1987–88 | Cincinnati | 18–11 | 7–5 | | |
| 1988–89 | Cincinnati | 21–9 | 6–6 | | NCAA first round |
| 1989–90 | Cincinnati | 7–21 | 3–11 | | |
| 1990–91 | Cincinnati | 4–23 | 2–12 | | |
| Laurie Pirtle (Great Midwest Conference) (1991–1995) ||||||
| 1991–92 | Cincinnati | 11–17 | 3–7 | | |
| 1992–93 | Cincinnati | 13–15 | 4–6 | | |
| 1993–94 | Cincinnati | 9–18 | 4–8 | | |
| 1994–95 | Cincinnati | 7–20 | 4–8 | | |
| Laurie Pirtle (Conference USA) (1995–2005) ||||||
| 1995–96 | Cincinnati | 8–19 | 4–10 | | |
| 1996–97 | Cincinnati | 17–11 | 6–8 | | |
| 1997–98 | Cincinnati | 21–9 | 10–6 | | WNIT |
| 1998–99 | Cincinnati | 22–9 | 12–4 | | NCAA first round |
| 1999–00 | Cincinnati | 18–13 | 9–7 | | WNIT |
| 2000–01 | Cincinnati | 22–10 | 9–7 | | WNIT |
| 2001–02 | Cincinnati | 27–5 | 11–3 | | NCAA second round |
| 2002–03 | Cincinnati | 23–8 | 11–3 | | NCAA first round |
| 2003–04 | Cincinnati | 15–16 | 5–9 | | WNIT |
| 2004–05 | Cincinnati | 9–19 | 4–10 | | |
| Laurie Pirtle (Big East Conference) (2005–2007) ||||||
| 2005–06 | Cincinnati | 17–12 | 7–9 | | |
| 2006–07 | Cincinnati | 15–14 | 6–10 | | |
| Laurie Pirtle: | Laurie Pirtle: | 311–301 (.508) | 130–158 (.451) | | |
| J. Kelley Hall (Big East Conference) (2007–2009) ||||||
| 2007–08 | Cincinnati | 12–16 | 3–13 | | |
| 2008–09 | Cincinnati | 14–17 | 3–13 | | |
| J. Kelley Hall: | J. Kelley Hall: | 26–33 (.441) | 6–26 (.188) | | |
| Jamelle Elliott (Big East Conference) (2009–2013) ||||||
| 2009–10 | Cincinnati | 12–18 | 4–12 | 14th | |
| 2010–11 | Cincinnati | 9–20 | 2–14 | 15th | |
| 2011–12 | Cincinnati | 16–16 | 6–10 | T–10th | WNIT Second Round |
| 2012–13 | Cincinnati | 12–18 | 4–12 | 13th | |
| Jamelle Elliott (American Athletic Conference) (2013–2018) ||||||
| 2013–14 | Cincinnati | 13–18 | 5–11 | 8th | |
| 2014–15 | Cincinnati | 8–23 | 4–14 | 9th | |
| 2015–16 | Cincinnati | 8–22 | 4–14 | 9th | |
| 2016–17 | Cincinnati | 16–14 | 7–9 | 7th | |
| 2017–18 | Cincinnati | 19–13 | 10–6 | 4th | WNIT First Round |
| Jamelle Elliot: | Jamelle Elliot: | 113–162 (.412) | 46–102 (.311) | | |
| Michelle Clark-Heard (American Athletic Conference) (2018–2023) ||||||
| 2018–19 | Cincinnati | 24–11 | 12–4 | 3rd | WNIT Quarterfinals |
| 2019–20 | Cincinnati | 22–9 | 11–5 | 2nd | Cancelled |
| 2020–21 | Cincinnati | 8–16 | 6–12 | 3rd | |
| 2021–22 | Cincinnati | 11–17 | 4–11 | 11th | |
| 2022–23 | Cincinnati | 9–21 | 2–14 | 11th | |
| Michelle Clark-Heard: | Michelle Clark-Heard: | 74–74 (.500) | 35–46 (.432) | | |
| Katrina Merriweather (Big 12 Conference) (2023–present) ||||||
| 2023–24 | Cincinnati | 14–18 | 5–13 | 11th | WNIT Second Round |
| Katrina Merriweather: | Katrina Merriweather: | 14–18 (.438) | 5–13 (.278) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 702–691 | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
    1.^ Cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

## NCAA tournament results

| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1989 | #8 | First Round | #9 Bowling Green | L 59–69 |
| 1999 | #12 | First Round | #5 Oregon | L 56–65 |
| 2002 | #6 | First Round Second Round | #11 Saint Peter's #3 South Carolina | W 76–63 (OT) L 56–75 |
| 2003 | #10 | First Round | #7 Arkansas | L 57–71 |