UCLA wins its 1st NCAA championship in style

The kids are all right.

UCLA wins 1st NCAA title in style

UCLA women’s basketball got it done, taking down South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday to claim its first-ever NCAA championship.

• Seniors led the charge, with all five Bruins starters registering double-digit scoring behind guard Gabriela Jaquez’s 21 points.

• “We were determined, the core group, to do something UCLA hadn’t done before in the NCAA era,” Jaquez said postgame. “We always believed.” (Watch full highlights)

The blueprint: The victory punctuates head coach Cori Close’s multi-year plan to hone a title-ready senior class, building her lineup via multiple recruiting avenues and a joy-driven team environment.

• Close recruited rising talent like Jaquez and star guard Kiki Rice out of high school, later bringing in Most Outstanding Player Lauren Betts, Gianna Kneepkens, and Charlisse Leger-Walker through the transfer portal.

• “It’s immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine,” Close said after capping her 15th year at the helm with an NCAA title. “It’s beyond my wildest dreams.”

Takeaway: After 2025’s semifinal exit, UCLA locked in at the end of a grueling NCAA tournament, executing Close’s plan with hard-earned poise.

South Carolina falls prey to NCAA déjà vu

For the second time in two years, South Carolina found itself on the losing end of an NCAA final blowout, as Sunday’s 79-51 defeat to UCLA marked the third-largest margin of victory in women’s championship history.

• The Gamecocks finished the game shooting just 29% from the field, becoming the first team to lose back-to-back title games by 15+ points.

• “To get here is hard, to win here is harder, right?” head coach Dawn Staley said postgame. “Obviously we got smacked today. We got to figure out how we smack back.” (Watch full highlights)

Rocky road: The loss capped an emotional weekend, after UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s temper threatened to overshadow South Carolina’s semifinal win on Friday.

• “I’m going to let you know this — I’m of integrity,” Staley told ESPN following the altercation. “If I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did.”

• “The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that,” Auriemma wrote in a formal apology. (See full statement)

Takeaway: Reaching the last six Final Fours shows undeniable quality — but Staley and staff will have to figure out how to rewrite the ending to lift another NCAA trophy.

Orlando ends LA’s unbeaten run

The NWSL’s last unbeaten team fell on Friday, as Orlando defeated LA 2-1 behind defender Haley McCutcheon’s flurry of last-minute goals.

• After an 83-minute stalemate, McCutcheon opened the scoring off a scrum in front of Angel City’s goal, before LA’s Gisele Thompson equalized early in second-half stoppage time.

• But the Pride wouldn’t be denied, as McCutcheon came up big with a game-winning strike shortly before the final whistle. (Watch full highlights)

In the running: Both No. 6 Orlando and No. 4 ACFC continue to keep pace heading into the international break — with No. 1 San Diego on top after all 16 teams registered at least one loss through the season’s first five matchdays.

• “This completes a strong first quarter of the season,” said Pride manager Seb Hines. “We’ll reset and prepare for the next phase.”

• “We have a very young team, and we need to adjust, and we need to correct, and go again,” said LA head coach Alexander Straus. (See full standings)

Up next: The NWSL now hits pause, with play resuming April 24th after the USWNT’s three-friendly series with Japan.

Lauren Coughlin blanks Nelly Korda in Las Vegas

LPGA vet Lauren Coughlin came out on top this weekend, winning the Aramco Championship with even-par 72 for a 7-under total — while beating fellow US star Nelly Korda by five shots.

• The win handed the 33-year-old her third LPGA title plus a $600,000 check, with Aramco’s $4 million prize pool providing one of the Tour’s biggest non-major paydays.

• “I just know I played really, really great all week,” said Coughlin, lamenting last year’s narrow loss. “Definitely left a sour taste in my mouth last year not getting the W… so makes it extra special.” (Watch full highlights)

Runner-up: Korda has now tallied three straight second-place finishes following her Tournament of Champions win — nearly enough to reclaim her No. 1 world ranking.

• “I’m just going to stick to what I’m doing,” Korda said. (See full rankings)

Jessica Pegula wins back-to-back Charleston Opens

World No. 5 Jessica Pegula successfully defended her Charleston Open title on Sunday, taking down Ukraine’s No. 53 Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.

• Pegula became the first WTA star since Serena Williams to win back-to-back Charleston Opens, ushering in clay-court season with four tough three-set wins before swiftly handling the final.

• “Thank you to the fans,” Pegula said postmatch. “It’s been such a long week for me, and you guys brought me through so many matches every single day, so thank you so much. I love playing here.” (Watch full highlights)

Up next: Tennis now turns to Europe, as the Madrid Open kicks off on April 21st.

PWHL breaks U.S. attendance record at MSG

The PWHL has broken yet another record, setting a new US women’s hockey attendance high-mark in Saturday’s sold-out Madison Square Garden takeover.

• 18,006 fans witnessed New York’s 2-1 shootout win over Seattle, breaking the US record for the fourth time this season — and the eighth time since the league’s 2024 debut.

• “People ask if I’m surprised,” said Torrent and Team USA captain Hillary Knight. “I’m not surprised that we sold out MSG. It’s a testament to the caliber of play that we have, our fanbase, the product that we put together, and the work that we do when the lights aren’t bright.” (See full recap)

Following suit: Boston is anticipating its own sell-out at TD Garden next week, with the Fleet’s matchup against Montreal set to rank second in US attendance.

Quote of the day

UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez
Describing who the Bruins decided to be this season after Sunday’s NCAA title win.