As much as we all look forward to watching the NCAA Tournament every March, this time of year holds a special place in the hearts of many WNBA players. Before they made it to the professional ranks, many current players starred at the collegiate basketball level, with the NCAA Tournament providing memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it is pulling off a dramatic upset, leading a team to uncharted territory, or cutting down the nets, several players have offered to sshare their NCAA Tournament memories with us.

Sophia Young, San Antonio Silver Stars School: Baylor, 2003-2006 NCAA Tournament resume: 2005 National Champion, 2005 NCAA Tournament Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Sweet 16 in 2004, Sweet 16 in 2006 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "March Madness was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. There is absolutely nothing like it and what makes it special is that you only have a four-year time period to get there and then its over."

Shameka Christon, New York Liberty School: University of Arkansas, 2001-2004 NCAA Tournament resume: NCAA Second Round in 2001, 2002, 2003 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "Some of my favorite NCAA memories come from the UConn-Tennessee games; that was great basketball and those games were always exciting to watch over the years. But my all time favorite was in 1998 when Arkansas made to the Final Four while being the lowest ranked seed ever to advance to the Final Four. Ninth seed!! I will keep the rest to myself, well, because I have a lot of friends from Tennessee. (laughs) WOOOO PIG SOOOIE!!! "The tournament is special because it is the opportunity to compete for a national championship. There can only be one. Sure your team can be the conference champs, but you will share that title with the 31 other teams in Division I. But when you win a national championship, no team can share that with you, or take that away from you. Everyone remembers the champions, but what you do before that, no one knows, or it is sometimes forgotten."

Cappie Pondexter, Phoenix Mercury School: Rutgers University, 2003-2006 NCAA Tournament resume: Elite 8 in 2005, Sweet 16 in 2006 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "March madness is a special time because it shows all the hard work your team has put in throughout the year. Your whole season comes down to one game. You win, you advance, and that’s the reason you see some of the most intense basketball and for me that’s the joy of watching it. The best memory for me is seeing the last highlight of the year, when the NCAA champion has been crowned; that video being played shows so much and for four years, and even today, I remember that the most. Maybe it’s because Rutgers never won a title in my four years (laughs)."

Laura Harper, Sacramento Monarchs School: University of Maryland, 2005-2008 NCAA Tournament resume: 2006 National Champion, 2006 NCAA Tournament Final Four Most Outstanding Player, Elite Eight in 2008 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "After sitting out my first NCAA tournament, my memories of the tournament are very vivid and make every bit of the year worthwhile. First things first, when Kristi Toliver hit the 3-pointer in the championship game to push us to overtime, I honestly think my heart stopped. Never have I been so excited and happy to be part of a team. For me, the celebrations are the best too – the chest bumps, the fist bumps, the screams, ahh the feeling of March Madness is irreplaceable. Of course winning and dancing and singing and taking pictures were great, but having my heart skip a beat was unforgettable. The passion that surrounds the tournament is really what makes it special. You feel your love for the game and you can see how sports really bring people together."

Tammy Sutton-Brown, Indiana Fever School: Rutgers University, 1997-2000 NCAA Tournament resume: Sweet 16 in 1998, Elite 8 in 1999, Final Four in 2000 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "The entire experience, to play in the NCAA Tournament was exciting. I was fortunate to have played in the NCAA tournament all four years while I was in college but I would have to say advancing to the Final Four my junior year was the highlight for me. The tournament was so special because you play against the best teams in the country. And being one of the top four was an amazing experience."

Ivory Latta, Atlanta Dream School: University of North Carolina, 2004-2007 NCAA Tournament resume: Final Four in 2006 and 2007, Elite Eight in 2005 Favorite NCAA Tournament memory: "Playing in back to back Final Fours was cool, but I really don’t have any specific memories that stand out. All I know is that I enjoyed every tournament that I played in. I enjoyed staying in really nice hotels (laughs) and also playing in different states that we never usually played in."