The men’s March Madness NCAA tournament has been around for decades; however, women’s March Madness was officially coined the title only four years back in 2022, even though it has had an NCAA championship tournament since the 80’s. The tournament featured 68 teams, matching the men’s, in a single-elimination format through the month of March, creating the Women’s March Madness.
The women’s tournament has since grown and gained tremendous traction, opening doors and opportunities for the young women both on and off the court.
UConn guard Azzi Fudd told USA Today, “It’s been crazy to see the growth and support…From high school to now, seeing just the change in the attitude towards women’s basketball.” The newfound attention has also translated to the WNBA, where viewership has increased significantly.
Many of the women’s previous March Madness stars, such as Caitlin Clark (Iowa), Angel Reese (LSU), and Paige Bueckers (UConn), have gone on to play in the WNBA, bringing their audiences along with them. Each of these women, and many more, has contributed significantly to the growth of the sport and inspired the next generation of young women to take to the courts.
This year’s March Madness, like usual, did not disappoint. Excitement broke in the second round, when #10-ranked Virginia had a huge upset over #2-ranked Iowa. In an 83-75 double overtime game, the Virginia Cavaliers took the victory, led by Kymora Johnson, who scored 28 points.
The win led to Virginia’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 2000. Number one SEC-ranked Texas Longhorns, as expected, had a Final Four appearance against UCLA. The Bruins would then go on to win the Women’s NCAA Division I national championship. This was UCLA’s second-ever appearance in the Final Four in its 21 tournament appearances.
They went on to play #1-ranked South Carolina in the finals. In the previous round, South Carolina faced #1-ranked UConn. Carolina handed UConn its first loss of the season in an intense, thrilling game, 62-48. During post-game handshakes, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma and Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley had a heated exchange. The dispute gained national attention, a potential indicator of mainstream recognition. Carolina’s efforts against UConn were commendable; however, they were not enough against UCLA, which humiliated them 79-51 in the championship game.
The championship game drew over 9.9 million viewers, ranking as the third-highest viewed game in the history of the women’s national championship tournament. UCLA center Lauren Betts was named the tournament MVP. Betts, a Grandview High School standout from Aurora, Colorado, led Grandview to a 5A state championship in 2022.
The 2026 Bruins put on a masterclass throughout the tournament, with strategic gameplay and teamwork, mixed with a supportive and dedicated coaching staff. It was only a matter of time before the Bruins would be granted victory—a memorable moment not only for themselves, but for the many girls watching around the country. As quoted by UCLA Head Coach Cori Close, “Banners hang in gyms and rings collect dust, but who you become and who you impact, you get to keep forever.”
