UCLA Women's Basketball Wins First NCAA Title

Bruins finish atop AP Top 25 poll after championship victory over South Carolina

Apr. 6, 2026 at 7:00pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the action and energy of a women's basketball championship game.A cubist interpretation of the UCLA Bruins' historic women's basketball championship victory.Los Angeles Today

The UCLA Bruins women's basketball team won their first-ever NCAA Tournament championship, defeating South Carolina in dominant fashion. The Bruins' title run caps off a historic 2025-26 season that saw them finish as the unanimous No. 1 team in the final AP Top 25 poll.

Why it matters

UCLA's championship is a landmark achievement for the program, which had never before won a national title. The Bruins' success this season also marks a shift in the women's college basketball landscape, with a new powerhouse emerging alongside traditional juggernauts like UConn.

The details

In the NCAA Tournament final, the Bruins thoroughly outplayed South Carolina, winning the game handily. UCLA's championship victory capped off an impressive 2025-26 campaign in which the team was ranked No. 1 in the AP poll from start to finish, earning the unanimous top spot in the final rankings.

  • The Bruins won the NCAA Tournament championship on April 6, 2026.
  • UCLA finished the 2025-26 season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the final AP Top 25 poll.

The players

UCLA Bruins

The women's basketball team from the University of California, Los Angeles that won its first-ever NCAA championship in 2026.

South Carolina Gamecocks

The women's basketball team from the University of South Carolina that lost to UCLA in the 2026 NCAA Tournament final.

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The takeaway

UCLA's championship victory marks a new era in women's college basketball, with the Bruins emerging as a national powerhouse and challenging the dominance of traditional programs like UConn. The team's success this season has energized the Los Angeles basketball community and set the stage for continued excellence in the years to come.