UCLA Wins First National Championship In Modern Program History

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 05: Kiki Rice #1 and Gabriela Jaquez #11 of the UCLA Bruins celebrate with the trophy after the victory against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the National Championship of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 05, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) Getty Images No. 1 UCLA wins and defeats No.

1 South Carolina, 79-51 on Sunday, Aprl 5. UCLA never trailed in their Final Four games against Texas or South Carolina. They became only the second Big 10 team to win a NCAA championship (Purdue in 1999).

This was the first national championship as a head coach for Close, and the first in modern history for UCLA (UCLA won the AIAW in 1978). UCLA Impresses with First Half Scoring In the first half, UCLA jumped out to a commanding lead as they finished the first twenty minutes up 36-23 on South Carolina. PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 5: Maryam Dauda #30 of the South Carolina Gamecocks attempts to block a shot by Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 5, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

(Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) NCAA Photos via Getty Images The scoring for the Bruins was evenly distributed across their starting lineup with senior center Lauren Betts (six points, seven rebounds), and senior guards Kiki Rice and transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker both contributing five points, along with seven points a piece from Gianna Kneepken and Gabriela Jacquez. Additionally, off the bench, when Betts had a throat issue that required her to exit majority of the first quarter, senior forward Angela Dugalic had six points.