The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has had one of its most outstanding seasons in school history, earning them the number one seed in the women’s NCAA basketball tournament. Joining UCLA as top seeds are South Carolina, Southern California, and Texas, according to the NCAA announcements made on Sunday night. This marks a milestone for UCLA, as it’s the first time they have been positioned as the top team in the tournament. Despite only two losses this season, both were against the Trojans.
“We’ve worked incredibly hard for this,” UCLA guard Kiki Rice remarked. “Being the overall No. 1 seed doesn’t guarantee us a spot in the Final Four or a national championship. We have to earn our victories on the court.” UCLA managed a win over South Carolina earlier in the season, and the Gamecocks’ coach Dawn Staley expressed her surprise at not being seeded first. Staley noted her team’s strategic scheduling, which she believed positioned them for the top seed.
The Gamecocks, who went undefeated last season and claimed the national title, have dropped three games leading into this year’s March Madness. Derita Dawkins, chair of the NCAA selection committee, highlighted two main factors that benefited UCLA over South Carolina in the seeding decision. One was UCLA’s win over South Carolina, and the other was South Carolina’s significant 29-point loss to UConn. These differences were key in their seeding.
South Carolina aims to become the first team to win consecutive championships since UConn’s four-year streak from 2013 to 2016. Meanwhile, UConn, holding a two-seed, hopes to break its championship drought with star player Paige Bueckers. A potential rematch with USC is possible in the Elite Eight if both teams reach the Sweet 16. This year’s tournament is expected to be competitive, as it is only the second time in 19 years that no team heads into March Madness with an undefeated or single-loss record.
The Bruins and Trojans, new entrants in the Big Ten, aim to secure the first championship for the conference since Purdue’s win in 1999. A historic total of 12 Big Ten teams have made it into the tournament. The SEC has ten teams, the ACC eight, and the Big 12 seven. The Ivy League also accomplished a first by earning three tournament bids, with Columbia, Princeton, and Harvard participating.
Duke, TCU, and N.C. State accompany UConn as two-seeds. Notre Dame, which has defeated Texas, USC, and UConn but struggled towards the season’s end, is ranked as a three-seed. William & Mary is among the six teams making their debut in the women’s NCAA Tournament, joined by Arkansas State, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Mason, Grand Canyon, and UC San Diego. On the men’s side, High Point, Omaha, SIU Edwardsville, and UC San Diego make their first appearances.
William & Mary (15-18) became the first sub-.500 team since Incarnate Word in 2022 to qualify for the tournament. Virginia Tech, James Madison, Saint Joseph’s, and Colorado were the first four teams not making the cut. In a groundbreaking move, NCAA history will see the introduction of financial incentives for women’s teams. Like their male counterparts, teams will receive “performance units” for each victory, potentially delivering around $1.26 million to their conference over three years if they reach the Final Four.
This follows last year’s women’s championship game where South Carolina’s win over Iowa attracted higher TV ratings than the men’s title match. This year, the top 16 seeds will host the initial rounds on their courts, while regional rounds will take place at neutral sites. Spokane, Washington, and Birmingham, Alabama, will split the hosting duties for the Sweet 16. The Final Four is set to be held in Tampa, Florida, on April 4, with the championship game scheduled two days later.
Stanford won’t participate in the tournament for the first time since 1987, ending its notable 36-year streak. However, Tennessee continues its consistent presence in the tournament since its inception in 1982, securing a five-seed this year.
