Each year, a college basketball team seems to come from out of nowhere and have an incredible run during March Madness. In the case of 1985, the so-called “Cinderella” the–Villanova–actually ended up winning the entire NCAA Tournament.

Do you think you’re a Cinderella candidate for a certain college? Maybe you sent in an application thinking you’re a longshot for admissions. If you get in, it may be a surprise to you and your friends and family. But it could happen. Look at the stories of these four Cinderella teams from past NCAA tournaments. It may give you some encouragement as you’re waiting to score with a certain school.

The team: Villanova

The year: 1985

What happened: Villanova was not considered a top program in the 1980s, when they entered the tourney as a No. 8 seed. The team barely made it out of the first round, beating Dayton by only two points. The 66-64 championship game victory against Georgetown, led by star center Patrick Ewing and famed coach John Thompson, was one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.

This year: Villanova came into March Madness as the No. 2 seed.

The team: George Mason

The year: 2006

What happened: Cinderella teams often unexpectedly win their conference tournaments, earning automatic bids to the NCAAs. The Patriots didn’t win the CAA tournament, so they didn’t know until Selection Sunday that they would receive an at-large bid. Some analysts (most notably Billy Packer) criticized the selection. George Mason silenced critics by making a shocking run to the Final Four. Along the way, the Patriots defeated defending national champion North Carolina and Connecticut, the top seeds from their region. Florida, that year’s national champion, ultimately defeated George Mason in the Final Four, but it was quite a run.

This year: George Mason is not in the tournament.

The team: Loyola Marymount

The year: 1990

What happened: This Cinderella example is framed in tragedy: the team’s star forward, Hank Gathers, collapsed and died on the court during a West Coast Conference tournament game. Though dealing with grief from the loss of their teammate, the Lions advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Among the three wins: a 34-point win over defending national champion Michigan in the second round.

This year: Loyola Marymount is not in the tournament.

The team: Davidson

The year: 2008

What happened: Led by Stephen Curry, a skinny sophomore guard who is now a rookie with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Davidson made it to the Elite Eight by beating Gonzaga (another past Cinderella team) and Georgetown by just six and four points in the first two rounds. Davidson then trounced Wisconsin 73-56 and almost knocked off Kansas, the 2008 champion, but didn’t advance to the Final Four. Some people thought Curry wouldn’t perform well in the NBA – he didn’t get receive much attention coming out of high school, and he was considered too small to play on the top level. Nevertheless, he garnered national recognition at Davidson and was the seventh overall pick in the NBA Draft.

This year: Davidson is not in the tournament.

We’re looking forward to seeing who this year’s Cinderella team might be. Any thoughts?

-Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Robert Inskip.