PHOENIX β The UCLA Bruins women's basketball team won its first NCAA Division I national championship on Sunday, April 5, 2026, defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-51 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The victory capped an undefeated season for the top-seeded Bruins, who finished with a perfect 39-0 record.
Led by tournament Most Outstanding Player Kiki Rice, who scored 19 points, UCLA dominated the championship game from the start. The Bruins' defense held South Carolina, the defending national champion, to its lowest scoring total of the season. UCLA's Lauren Betts added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The win marks a historic achievement for the UCLA program, securing its first national title in women's basketball. South Carolina, also a No. 1 seed, finished its season with a 37-2 record. The game was played before a sold-out crowd, continuing the record-breaking attendance trends for women's college basketball.
