Five years ago, longtime baseball coach Joe Cascione left coaching the sport to start a women’s tennis team at Mission College.
On Wednesday, Mission College won the state women’s tennis championship armed with local players from Kennedy, Granada Hills, Sylmar and Birmingham high schools, among others.
It’s quite an achievement to win it all with local athletes.
Key contributors included Amy Nghiem, Priscilla Grinner and America Fragoso from Granada Hills; Jaelyn Rivera from Birmingham; Josilyn Rivera and Natalia Ponce from Kennedy; Alitzel Ortega Partida from Golden Valley; Genesis Nochez from West Ranch and Kristen Bonzon from Sylmar.
Cascione singled out his players for their passion and commitment.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
“I’m trying to be very patient. But we are good and just waiting a little bit.
“We have a few tests in the next few days and then we will see how the injury is and what the next steps will be.”
The 22-year-old, who won clay-court titles in Monte Carle, Rome and Roland Garros and reached the final in Barcelona last season, could lose significant ground to Sinner in the rankings because of the injury.
Italian Sinner reclaimed the number one ranking this month after beating Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo final.
Alcaraz said: “I’d rather come back a little later but in great shape than come back early, rushing around, and unwell.
“God willing, I have a very long career ahead of me, many years, and pushing myself too hard at this Roland Garros could seriously harm me in future tournaments.
“Things happen in the professional world. You have to accept them. I need to recover really well if I don’t want it to affect me later on.”
In Los Angeles, Green holed a curling 12-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to win this LPGA Tour event for the third time in four years.
It was a stunning victory for Green given she had briefly been six shots adrift of the lead after Kim Sei-young chipped in for an eagle three on the 11th.
Green responded with the first of five birdies in six holes as she reeled in Kim and Im Jin-hee and all three finished on 17 under par.
“I didn’t think I was still in the tournament,” said Green, who won her only major, the Women’s PGA Championship, in 2019.
On her tournament-winning stroke, she added: “I had that putt, similar line in regulation, so I felt somewhat comfortable.”
Kim had already missed a 35-foot birdie attempt while Im – penalised a stroke for slow play during Saturday’s third round – was also unable to get down in three after a wayward tee shot.
The tournament was played at El Caballero for the second year because of course renovations at Wilshire where Green had won this title in 2023 and 2024.
During Saturday’s round, the tournament’s prize money was increased by $1m to $4.75m (£3.5m), lifting the purse to the highest on the tour outside of the major championships and season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
As a result of that, Green took home $712,500, up from $562,500.
The Chevron Championship, the first women’s major of the year, stars on Thursday in Houston, Texas.
Real win the final of Spain’s premier annual knockout football competition with a dramatic penalty shootout in Seville.
Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026
Real Sociedad beat Atletico Madrid 4-3 on penalties to win the Copa del Rey on Saturday following a 2-2 draw after extra time, with goalkeeper Unai Marrero saving two spot kicks in the shootout to help his side win the trophy for the fourth time.
Sociedad last won the Cup in 2021, when the delayed 2020 final was also played at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, but there were no supporters present due to the COVID pandemic.
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This time, the Basque side’s fans were behind the goal to witness Marrero save Atletico’s first two penalties from Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez.
Atletico keeper Juan Musso then stopped Orri Oskarsson’s kick, but Pablo Marin kept his nerve to net the winning penalty.
“I tried to clear my mind. Calm and serene,” Marin told RTVE. “Real is my life. I’ve lived here since I was a child. This is the greatest thing I could ever dream of – winning a title with the team of my life.”
The last time the two sides met in the final was 1987, when it also finished 2-2 with Sociedad coming out on top on penalties, and they repeated the job to deny Atletico, who were looking for their first Copa del Rey win since 2013.
Ander Barrenetxea had given Sociedad the lead after 14 seconds, but Ademola Lookman levelled in the 19th minute. Mikel Oyarzabal then put the Basque side back in front with a penalty on the stroke of halftime.
Alvarez drew Atletico level, with seven minutes remaining, to force the extra period in a dramatic final.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico were fresh from reaching the Champions League semifinals, but Sociedad, managed by American Pellegrino Matarazzo, triumphed despite twice losing the lead.
Atletico Madrid’s forward Julian Alvarez, right, scores his side’s second goal in the 83rd minute to level the final at 2-2 [Jose Breton/AP]
Fast start
Sociedad stunned Atletico from the start. After a punt downfield from Marrero, Goncalo Guedes crossed into the box, and Barrenetxea rose above his marker to send a looping header beyond Musso.
Atletico levelled with Lookman collecting a pass from Antoine Griezmann and sending a precise low strike through the legs of a defender and into the far bottom corner.
Some Sociedad fans were celebrating, as they thought their side had retaken the lead when Guedes’s deflected shot flew into the side netting, but when Musso later fouled Guedes, captain Oyarzabal converted the penalty in first-half added time.
“I’ve never walked on water, but it must feel something like this,” said Oyarzabal, who scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot when his side won their last Copa.
Real Sociedad’s goalkeeper, Unai Marrero, right, deflects the ball by Alvarez during the penalty shootout [Thomas Coex/AFP]
Late drama
Sociedad looked like hanging on until Alvarez struck an unstoppable shot from just inside the area, letting Thiago Almada’s pass through his legs before turning to send the ball into the top corner.
In the opening period of extra time, Musso pulled off a double-save from Luka Sucic and Oskarsson, with Alvarez hitting the upright at the other end, as both sides created chances before running out of steam, and penalties beckoned.
Marrero danced across his line as the Atletico players lined up their penalties, and his mind games paid off.
“I knew that if it went to penalties, I had a lot of confidence in myself,” he said.
“The team and the fans did, too. I still can’t believe it.”
Matarazzo has worked a remarkable turnaround at Sociedad since taking over in December, with the club hovering above the relegation zone but now seventh in the standings and, even more importantly, with a trophy to show for their work.
Simeone’s Atletico have one final chance of silverware, with a last-four meeting against Arsenal in the Champions League.
“We have a beautiful challenge ahead of us. We want the Champions League, and we’ll do everything possible to win it,” Atletico captain Koke said. “But tonight is a sad night.”
Real Sociedad’s Marin scores the winning penalty during the shootout [Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters]
For a club of Glentoran’s stature, it is hard to believe they are without a title in 17 years.
It has been a long wait for their supporters, who came out in their numbers, and that is why Friday’s game felt so significant to the club.
If Larne pick up the point they need against the Swifts, Glentoran will end the season without a trophy but things could have played out so differently.
They lost the BetMcLean Cup final to bitter rivals Linfield thanks to Chris McKee’s extra-time penalty, while the Irish Cup and County Antrim Shield both slipped away in shootout defeats.
After clawing their way back into the title race after looking out of contention before Christmas, the Glens look like they will come up just short in the league. It’s all about the fine margins.
“Whether we win the league next week or not, I think we have made huge improvements as a football club but that doesn’t take away the disappointment,” Devine said.
“Second, third – it is nothing and we have to accept that. We need a snooker and if we can get a snooker next week, it is important that we uphold our side of the bargain.
“I thank the fans with all my heart. This is a massive club that deserves success.”
Devine said the lack of a clinical edge was “painful” but his players “emptied the tank”.
They will now have to rebound as they travel to the north coast with hope, rather than expectation.
“We are not out of it, we have one more game left in the current campaign to try make sure we get a win,” Devine added.
“This league has thrown up a lot of shocks and surprises and crazy results over the years and hopefully we can do our side of the bargain, but Larne are firmly in the driving seat with a home game to go.”
Javokhir Sindarov wins the Candidates Tournament with a round to spare and will face India’s Gukesh next.
Published On 15 Apr 202615 Apr 2026
Uzbek grandmaster Javokhir Sindarov has clinched victory in the chess Candidates Tournament with a round to spare, drawing with Dutchman Anish Giri to set up a World Championship match against India’s Gukesh Dommaraju.
The 20-year-old stormed through the event in Cyprus on Tuesday, winning six of his 13 games and losing none in a dominant performance never seen at the Candidates.
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Sindarov moved to 9.5 points, two clear of second-placed Giri on 7.5, after the Dutchman failed to convert a winning position against China’s Wei Yi in the previous round.
“It was the hardest week in my life. I even slept really bad the last few days. I am very happy to finish this tournament with a win,” Sindarov said after his win.
The tournament had been seen as a possible last opportunity for the old guard to mount another challenge for the world title, but Americans Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura never seriously threatened.
Gukesh won the title in 2024, defeating China’s Ding Liren in the 14th and final game of their match. Ding had himself become champion by beating Ian Nepomniachtchi after Magnus Carlsen, the five-times champion who remains world number one, relinquished the crown, citing a lack of motivation.
“I do not want to think a lot about the upcoming World Championship match right now. I know it will be a very hard match,” Sindarov said.
“Gukesh has an experience of playing at this level. But I have a very good team. I have a lot to work on, and I will work a lot for this and take my chances.”
While Sindarov’s breakthrough and the broader rise of a younger generation are likely to prompt new speculation about a Carlsen comeback, the Norwegian has said he has no intention of returning to the classical World Championship cycle.
A precise date and a venue for the World Championship match have yet to be announced.
As always, Usyk took the occasion in his stride. Asked about the secret to his success, he joked: “Hard training and good pasta – double portion.”
The unified champion has previously said he plans to face the winner of Fabio Wardley v Daniel Dubois after Verhoeven, followed by a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury.
However, he said he would step aside if Fury and Anthony Joshua were able to agree a long-discussed bout.
For many boxing fans, it was the first extended look at Verhoeven. He has previously sparred with Tyson Fury and trained alongside UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and had been lined up to face Joshua before the Briton’s tragic car crash last year, which claimed the lives of two of his friends.
“But this is even bigger and better,” Verhoeven, who came across confident and composed, said.
“Our idea was undisputed versus undisputed. That’s how this fight came about. It’s something very special.”
There had been suggestions the bout could yet be moved because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, but organisers insist it will take place at a unique setting by the foot of the pyramids of Giza.
Four years ago, at the McDonald’s All-American game, future Bruins Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez stood side by side at the end of the contest, having been named co-MVPs. It was the first time the two MVPs of the annual event were headed to the same college program.
Now, as the only remaining members of UCLA’s 2022 No. 1 recruiting class, they have reached their ultimate goal: an NCAA championship. Their work ethic, their high character, their loyalty, and the pride they take in wearing the four letters on their jerseys will long be remembered and appreciated. With fellow senior and graduate-student teammates — Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalic, Charlisse Leger-Walker and Gianna Kneepkens, all transfers from former Pac-12 teams — they have put themselves into the Bruin record books.
To this awesome group of young women: Thanks for the memories and the joy you have brought to Westwood. You will be missed.
Sandy Siegel Sherman Oaks
After witnessing their first-round victory in person, the UCLA women looked ready to make a run in the NCAA tournament. What we saw was a way to compete in any style of play. There was a little bit of everything. But clearly they were the best team. Congratulations on your first title. I can’t wait to see the banner hanging in the rafters. Being a lifelong fan of UCLA sports, it just looks right when you see it in lights. UCLA BRUINS, NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
David DeLong Thousand Oaks
As a Trojan alum, it was awkward, but nonetheless, I was elated to see UCLA knock off USC. Party on!
David Marshall Santa Monica
The UCLA women’s basketball team’s first NCAA national championship was especially sweet because they had to defeat USC in the title game!
Nick Rose Newport Coast
Long live the Pac-12 Avengers!
Mark Ryan Fullerton
What a great article on Gabriela [Jaquez] by Mirjam [Swanson.] I just so loved rooting for this UCLA women’s team because they’re such wonderful people as well as players. Having said that, Gabriela would have been my choice for MVP, but I’m fine with Lauren [Betts.]
Michael Reuben Anaheim Hills
It was refreshing to watch the postgame after UCLA soundly defeated the University of South Carolina on Sunday. Everyone was crying — players, coaches, losers because they lost, winners because they won. This was so much nicer than the angry confrontation between coaches at the end of the South Carolina-UConn game on Friday, after which [Geno] Auriemma petulantly stalked off. As in politics, women seem to do it better without men.
Henry A. Hespenheide Hermosa Beach
Remembering Lopes
Growing up in L.A. during the 1970s, the photo of Davey Lopes sliding into second against Dave Concepcion brought back memories of the Dodgers’ rivalry with the Big Red Machine during that decade. Being a huge fan of those Dodger teams, a large color photo of the Dodger infield of [Steve] Garvey, Lopes, [Bill] Russell and [Ron] Cey adorned my DTLA office for many years.
Davey Lopes was the most exciting of that great infield and the inspirational leader of the ‘74, ‘77, ‘78 and ‘81 World Series teams. Not only was he superior at stealing bases — he stole 47 at the age of 40 — but also hit for power, as exemplified by his team-leading three homers and seven RBIs in the ‘78 World Series. RIP, Davey.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
Garvey, Cey, Russell and Lopes. What an infield! I grew up with that group, and they cemented my love for the Dodgers at a young age. Every spring you could count on those four as starters in the infield. Davey Lopes was just superb. A terrific base stealer who had over 500 steals in his career. Always reliable at second base and at the plate. He was an All-Star his last four years with the Dodgers, culminating with the World Series win in 1981 over the hated Yankees. Davey, we will miss you for sure.
Dave Ring Manhattan Beach
Davey Lopes was the heartbeat of those great Dodgers teams — grit, intelligence, and pure excitement every time he reached base. For fans who grew up watching that legendary infield, his passing feels deeply personal, but his legacy will endure.
Steven Ross Carmel
Championing fans
I had the privilege of attending Major League Baseball ownership meetings for a decade. Arte Moreno and his then team president, John Carpino, were the absolute leaders in advocating that MLB needed to be as financially fan friendly as possible. In my opinion, the Angels fully back their desire to have a sustainable and comfortable fan experience by offering a wonderful game-day fan experience.
When I am able to attend an Angels game, I do not hear gripes about parking costs, concession prices or ticket prices. The stadium staff at every level are simply wonderful and always so welcoming. And while I have no stats, the number of families and children in attendance appear significant.
Should the team ever come under different ownership, I hear that one of the under tapped values of owning the Angels is the ability to increase ticket and related revenues. The proven focus on having a sustainable fan game experience is the sole dictate of the owner.
Lew Wolff Los Angeles
Sticker shock
After taking the time to sign up for LA28 with the hopes of getting an opportunity to purchase tickets for the Olympics, including tickets to the opening ceremony, I was gravely disappointed after receiving a time slot for purchases to learn that opening ceremony tickets were “currently unavailable.“ In further checking for other opportunities to purchase reasonably priced tickets, I also was disappointed to see that the cheapest tickets available for some of the high-interest sporting events were in the hundreds of dollars. It doesn’t look like the plan to have locals purchase tickets and fill the seats for the venues is going to work out the way LA28 thought it would. Shame on them.
Ruthanne Rozenek Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
It was a moment playing golf that anyone and everyone looks forward to celebrating.
Jake Norr, a junior at Palisades High, made a hole in one earlier this week at Woodley Lakes Golf Course. It was part of a nine-hole round that left him six-under-par and stamped himself as the favorite to win the City Section individual title later this spring.
He then aced the fifth hole at Harding Golf Course on Thursday.
“I think he has a good chance,” Palisades coach Dave Suarez said of Norr winning the individual City title.
Norr used a 9-iron for his hole in one on the 159-yard hole at Woodley Lakes.
“It was the first of many to come,” Suarez said on Wednesday.
Then came Norr’s second hole in one on Thursday, making Suarez’s prediction pretty impressive.
“I knew he had it in him,” Suarez said.
Norr has been part of Palisades’ last two teams to win City titles.
“He’s a really hard worker,’ Suarez said.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Whatever the result, this was a poor performance by Arsenal, who looked jaded compared to a fresh Bournemouth side who had not played for three weeks.
This was the 53rd game of the Gunners’ season as they have attempted to win trophies in multiple competitions.
However, defeats in the Carabao Cup final, FA Cup quarter-finals and now against the Cherries means they have lost three of their last four in all competitions.
Arsenal were without Bukayo Saka, captain Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber through injury, while Myles Lewis-Skelly was making just his second start of the season at left-back with Riccardo Calafiori also unavailable.
“I thought the result in Lisbon in midweek would have helped them massively, just to get a little bit of momentum and confidence after the two cup defeats,” added Shearer.
“But there was nothing I saw today that would give me confidence that they’re going to go and win the league.”
There was a nervous atmosphere inside the stadium, with loose passes met by groans from the home supporters as it was clear that the Gunners were not at their best.
Arteta had asked the fans to turn up early to create an intimidating atmosphere – but the Gunners boss does not think that the expectation is getting to his side.
“I don’t think there is pressure,” Arteta told BBC Match of the Day. “We have been coping with a lot of pressure since the beginning of the season.
“Today there were some actions that are very far from the level that we have shown and that shocks the system.
“We ask a lot from our crowd and today we didn’t respond to those standards and we have to apologise, take it on the chin and move on.”
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts have returned to Earth after completing the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years, reaching the greatest distance ever travelled by humans. The crew successfully completed a parachute landing in the Pacific Ocean, after a high-speed re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere.
O’Neill was speaking as the Scottish FA announced sports event consultant Mark Blackbourne will lead its investigation into the disorder that followed the Scottish Cup quarter-final between Rangers and Celtic in March.
Tensions have arisen between elements of Celtic’s support and the board about such matters as summer transfer activity, managerial appointments and crowd safety.
Discussions have been held between the Green Brigade and the club and Celtic said earlier this week that Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group was happy for the suspension to be lifted.
“I think that the safety regulations have been sorted,” O’Neill said. “We’ve got to just see how it goes and see what the end of the season brings. Let’s have a proper conversation at the end.”
Defending champions Celtic go into Saturday’s game three points behind leaders Heart of Midlothian and two adrift of Rangers.
Hearts have been handed a visit to Celtic Park on the final day of the season following the publication of the post-split Scottish Premiership fixtures, but O’Neill said “it’s certainly a long way off for us” to be thinking of that possibly being a title decider.
Celtic’s goal difference is worse than both their title rivals, but the Northern Irishman said “it’s too late now” to think about that and “I would just be delighted to win the games”.
Meanwhile, O’Neill revealed on-loan right-back Julian Araujo had suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury after returning to Bournemouth for treatment and would miss the rest of the season – and possibly the World Cup with Mexico.
Fellow right-back Colby Donovan also has a hamstring injury that will rule him out for perhaps the next two weeks, but Canada international Alistair Johnston could return next weekend for the first time since October.
Meet Mick Cronin’s nightmare, a 7-foot-3 indictment of his embattled program, a monumental mistake that has spent three weeks eating at the heart of even the most dedicated Bruin loyalists.
In Michigan’s overpowering run in this tournament, Mara was everywhere.
Playing the previous two seasons at UCLA, Mara was nowhere.
In six tournament games, Mara had at least two blocks in five, scored in double figures in four and racked up 26 points with nine rebounds in the semifinal win against Arizona.
In his last 11 appearances as a Bruin last season, Mara never played more than half the game.
“One Shining Moment” is another man’s darkness, and so it was that after Michigan’s 69-63 title victory over UConn Monday night, Mara unwittingly milked his co-starring role in the tournament’s annual music video compilation.
In a brief closeup from an earlier tournament game, Mara was shown wagging his tongue in celebration … or was that in revenge?
It sure felt like the latter, as Mara’s nationally televised presence this spring repeatedly summoned one question about the current UCLA basketball culture.
How could the Bruins allow the cornerstone of the program’s future to just walk out the door?
Yes, Cronin isn’t the first coach to lose a star to the transfer portal, as Michigan became the first champion for which all five starters were transfers.
But Mara was more than a transfer, he was transformative, and everyone who had watched him roaming the Pauley floor during his sporadic appearances knew it. If Mara had stayed with the Bruins this season, they could have been at least a Sweet 16 team, maybe advancing to the Elite Eight, and who knows how much further, his presence alone changing so many things about the team in so many different ways.
Michigan’s Aday Mara dunks while Arizona players watch during the Wolverines Final Four semifinal win Saturday in Indianapolis.
(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
His rim protection is powerful. His shot-blocking is masterful. His footwork is precise, his shooting touch soft and his overall game has been improving with his maturity.
Bruin fans loved him. Pauley rocked with him. Scouts fawned over him.
But Cronin never seemed sold on him, starting him once in two years, playing him about 13 minutes a game last season.
After which, Mara begrudgingly bolted.
“It was a hard decision to leave UCLA,” Mara told former Times staff writer Ben Bolch last spring, “because you saw every game — I was enjoying it, I was super happy because I saw all the crowd cheering for me, helping me a lot. Los Angeles is like a really, really good place, Westwood, so I’m going to miss that and I wanted to say that because it was a hard decision because it’s just after two years it feels like I spent a lot more time than two years, you know?”
When explaining the benchings, Cronin frequently talked about Mara’s matchup problems, conditioning problems, and illness problems. And to be fair, Cronin has often used his tough love with great success, turning marginal players into good ones.
But Mara was a potential superstar, and he wasn’t buying any of it.
“I had expectations when I came here that I didn’t achieve,” said Mara to Bolch. “Also, I think I felt like I was playing good, practicing good, practicing hard, you know, putting in extra work and until Wisconsin I never had the opportunity to show that I was able to play, you know? And once [Cronin] gave me the opportunity, I saw — not a lot, but I saw what I could do, so those are the two reasons.”
Ah, yes, Wisconsin. That game, in January of 2025, could have solidified the Cronin era. Instead, it eventually only served as another eventual milestone of regret.
In the Bruins upset of the Badgers, Mara had 22 points, five rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes in the best game of his UCLA career.
That finally earned him a place in the rotation after weeks of being lost on the bench, and he played more than 24 minutes in three of the next four games including finding himself in the starting lineup for the first time.
But it was also the last time. Beginning in early February, he didn’t play more than 20 minutes a game the rest of the season, which, after he experienced such success in the Badger beatdown, he found increasingly frustrating.
After the season, there were reports that Mara asked for an inordinate salary increase while demanding that he set his own practice schedule. He denied all those charges to Bolch, saying, “I feel like that’s crazy.”
You want to know what’s really crazy? That UCLA would not work with him no matter what the demands.
One can only guess about the millions of dollars paid to top UCLA athletes, but the Bruin power brokers should have busted the NIL bank for this kid. Certainly, one can also speculate that the Spaniard was considered soft and wasn’t always in great shape, but he was still a teenager and in need of the sort of persistent patience not often shown in Cronin’s world.
Whatever, there was surely a way to put Mara on a path to his seemingly destined greatness. But the hard-nosed Cronin apparently couldn’t reach him while Michigan’s gentler Dusty May could and … hmmmm.
On Monday night, one of those coaches was celebrating while the other one was watching.
Who knows, maybe Cronin and his demanding, sometimes demeaning program will pick up another shiny seven-foot star from this spring’s newly opened portal.
The three-day competition in the rural town of Stawell featured more than 700 competitors and offered total prize money of A$155,000 (£81,000).
Jamaican Asafa Powell, Britain’s Linford Christie and Australian great Cathy Freeman are among the global champions to compete at the event since it was first held in 1878.
Richardson’s partner and fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, holder of the indoor 60m world record, contested the men’s event.
The former 100m world champion was eliminated in the semi-finals, where he finished fifth in 12.48 seconds.
The men’s event was won by Australian 21-year-old Olufemi Komolafe in 11.93 off a five-metre start – starting behind all but one of his competitors, with runner-up Jake Ireland starting at 4.5m.
It was dominating. It was overwhelming. It was powder-blue pummeling, eight-clap crushing, Westwood wonderful.
It was the UCLA women’s basketball team needing barely two hours to complete the struggles of 45 years, a stunningly swarming triumph unmatched in even the finest of Bruin athletic traditions.
Break out a new banner. Make room in the Pauley rafters. A new collection of heroes is coming home, and they started the party early.
For the first time since 1978, and the first time in the NCAA era, the UCLA women are national basketball champions after a 79-51 finals blowout victory Sunday over favored powerhouse South Carolina.
“Oh my gosh,” said weeping star Lauren Betts after the final buzzer.
Oh my, Lauren. This was a heartfelt triumph for the towering tournament Most Outstanding Player who overcame mental health issues to become the toughest figure on the floor.
“I do it for my teammates,” she said during the celebration. “I don’t do it for me.”
Oh my, Gabby. This was a legendary triumph for Gabriela Jaquez, who scored 21 points with 10 rebounds in the finals while her brother, former Bruin star Jaime Jaquez Jr., watched from the stands one day after he scored 32 points for the Miami Heat.
UCLA forward Gabriela Jaquez hugs coach Cori Close during the second half of the Bruins’ win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s national championship Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
“I imagined this moment, I imagined it so many times,” she said. “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy.”
Oh my, Cori, this being a legacy triumph for Coach Cori Close, a John Wooden disciple who led through thoughtful motivation instead of mindless screaming. This was her 15th season as the Bruins’ boss, which previously made her the longest tenured coach without a national title.
“It’s truly indescribable,” she said from the celebration stage afterward. “The loyalty, the steadfast spirit, the character that they’ve chosen day in and day out. … I am just so humbled that they’ve chosen to commit to our mission.”
One of Close’ mantras is, “Sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.”
This was UCLA’s first finals appearance in the NCAA era, and they were trying to win their first title since Anne Meyers-Drysdale led the Bruins to an AIAW championship in 1978.
Yet they never blinked.
“This was a business trip for us,” said Dugalic. “We had the mentality that the job’s not finished. Now the job is finished.”
Jaquez set the tone in the first quarter by following a Dugalic miss with a flying layup as she was sent sprawling to the floor. She was fouled, converted a three-point play, and the Bruins were quickly sending a message.
They would not be intimidated. They would not be pushed around. And they would play every second, as evidenced by the first-quarter, buzzer-beating trey by Rice as she tumbled backward to give them a 21-10 lead.
The Bruins didn’t even panic when their leader seemed to panic, as Betts spent nearly half of the first quarter on the bench complaining that, “I’ve got something stuck in my throat.”
UCLA coach Cori Close, center, celebrates with her players after guiding the Bruins to the NCAA women’s basketball national championship on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Trainers checked her throat, gave her an inhaler and eventually nursed her back on to the court, where she told an ESPN interviewer that her throat was just dry from the desert air.
The Bruins kept the heat on during a second quarter in which they made mistakes, seemed to lose momentum, then collected themselves to maintain their huge edge. At one point UCLA committed four consecutive turnovers and the Gamecocks closed the gap to 11, but then UCLA’s defense got tough again and layups by Rice and Kneepkens helped them regain their advantage.
At halftime UCLA led 36-23 and the game was essentially over.
Jaquez put the bow on it when she hit a late three-pointer that made it 79-45, her shot followed by a smile and a scream to the heavens.
Highlights from UCLA’s win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship game.
“Gabs is incredible,” said Leger-Walker. “She is that person that you never doubt is going to give her all. She impacts the game in so many ways.”
Leger-Walker ended the afternoon dancing with her teammates just as they have danced all season.
“I’m still processing the fact that we are national champions,” she said.
Believe it. These Bruins will be dancing forever.
UCLA players celebrate after defeating South Carolina for the NCAA women’s basketball championship.
With a 30-point lead by the end of the third quarter, much of the end of Sunday’s NCAA championship victory was a celebration of what UCLA had built en route to its 79-51 victory over South Carolina.
By the final buzzer, it was a full-blown party.
It was one of the largest margins of victory in Final Four history.
UCLA won an AIAW title in 1978 against Maryland before women’s basketball was an NCAA sport.
UCLA’s Kiki Rice, right, drives around South Carolina’s Raven Johnson during the first half of the NCAA national title game on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
Last season, UCLA’s 34-point loss to Connecticut in the semifinal became the worst loss in tournament history.
This season, there was no doubt UCLA was ready for the moment and it ensured it could reverse the history books.
It was perhaps the most UCLA performance the Bruins could have had. In their final collegiate games, Lauren Betts (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Gabriela Jaquez (21 points, 10 rebounds) earned double-doubles and all five starters scored in double digits. They dominated the boards (49-36), played stellar defense and most important, didn’t turn the ball over often.
After the Bruins held Texas to a season-low 44 points in Friday’s semifinal, they held the Gamecocks to 51, also their lowest total all season.
UCLA’s Lauren Betts shoots over South Carolina’s Maryam Dauda in the first half of the NCAA national championship game Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins jumped out early while South Carolina struggled with the Bruins’ size and went three for 18 from the floor. Kiki Rice (10 points, six rebounds, five assists) hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the opening quarter with the Bruins holding on to a 21-10 lead.
Near the end of the first, Betts came back to the bench coughing and sputtering, seemingly unable to clear her throat. At the start of the second quarter, she was at the end of the UCLA bench and used an inhaler before returning to the game.
UCLA’s suffocating defense held the Gamecocks to 25.7% shooting in the first half. Unlike Friday’s win over Texas, the Bruins’ offense recovered from a one-for-10 stretch far earlier.
South Carolina made a mid-second quarter adjustment into a zone defense and a half-court press that forced one 10-second violation and another turnover that led to a fast-break layup and and free throw from Ta’Niya Latson.
UCLA’s Gabriela Jaquez celebrates after scoring while being fouled during the first quarter Sunday against South Carolina.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA led 36-23 at the half.
One of the Gamecocks’ only interior presences, center Madina Okot, had three fouls early in the third quarter. With her off the floor, UCLA extended its lead to 18 off a three-pointer from Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Midway through the quarter, a sequence of a Betts layup over the South Carolina defense, a Betts block of a Latson shot and a Jaquez fast-break layup gave the Bruins a resounding 22-point lead.
The Bruins outscored the Gamecocks 25-9 during the third quarter to earn a 61-32 lead off a 13-0 run. It was the largest lead ever for a team going into the fourth quarter of an NCAA championship game.
South Carolina shot a season-worst 18 for 62 from the floor and two for 15 from three-point range.
UCLA players, including Kiki Rice, left, and Gabriela Jaquez celebrate after winning the NCAA women’s basketball national championship on Sunday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
The Bruins held Latson to four points and Raven Johnson to three on one-for-seven shooting.
South Carolina had taken down then-undefeated UConn in the semifinal on Friday.
UCLA will need to rebuild with few returners, but now that her players have won a national title, coach Cori Close should have her pick of the transfer portal.
Now, Close and the Bruins have championship pedigree.
Highlights from UCLA’s win over South Carolina in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship game.
One of the hottest tickets for the events surrounding Super Bowl LX in February was a party thrown at the Cow Palace in San Francisco by Sports Illustrated, where attendees could hang with Justin Bieber, Kevin Hart and Travis Kelce.
The magazine’s logo and a team of models from its latest annual swimsuit issue were present at another pre-game bash at the Michelin three-star restaurant Quince.
Sports Illustrated journalists were getting requests from peers looking to score invites to the gatherings, which symbolized a turnaround at the 72-year-old title. Just two years earlier, many of its writers were told their jobs were being eliminated.
But Authentic Brands Group, the New York-based company that purchased Sports Illustrated in 2019 for $110 million, says the title is now thriving after reducing its reliance on advertising and circulation revenue. The privately held firm — which expects $38 billion in global retail sales this year, up from $35 billion in 2025 — does not break out the finances for its businesses but says SI is highly profitable after a rocky period. Less than half of SI’s revenue comes from its media business.
“It took us a little while and we had a couple of bumps along the way,” Daniel W. Dienst, executive vice chairman for Authentic, said in a recent interview from his New York office, where a photo of baseball legend Hank Aaron taken by acclaimed SI photographer Neil Leifer hangs on the wall behind his desk.
For decades, SI was where every sports journalist aspired to work, hoping to become the next Frank DeFord or Gary Smith, whose 32-year career at the magazine is highly revered. Cover images of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and other superstars are emblazoned in the memories of fans who eagerly awaited the title to arrive in the mail each week. For athletes and sports institutions, the cover remains a coveted honor.
“You go to LeBron James’ office in Akron, it’s got his 30 covers on the walls,” Dienst said. “You go to USC, they’ve got 21 covers with their athletes and coaches all over their athletic department.”
Now a monthly magazine, the flagship business of Sports Illustrated is no longer the first stop for fans looking for game analysis or profiles of athletes, many of whom have asserted greater control over their images through social media and podcasts.
Like other print magazines, SI has seen a sharp falloff in its circulation, currently at 400,000, down from 3 million in 2010. Authentic says SI has 52 million users a month on its web site and 21 million social media followers. ESPN had 229 million digital users in November.
But the famous SI name still resonates with generations of consumers and Authentic has sought ways to capitalize on it, from selling replica covers to opening branded resort hotels in Chicago and Nashville. International editions of the magazine have been launched in Germany, China and Mexico, with plans to launch in France and the U.K.
In January, Sports Illustrated launched its own free ad-supported streaming TV channel called SITV that features live shows with its journalists and includes films and shows from an archive stocked with documentaries and swimsuit issue specials going back decades.
The channel, which along with the other SI assets is managed by New York-based Minute Media, will also carry live sports coverage including college basketball. While Minute Media did not reveal early viewership figures, the company said the audience for the channel has grown 60% since its launch.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
(Clay Patrick McBride)
The streaming channel is a major media initiative for brand that has seen more activity in other sectors.
In 2023, Authentic put the SI name on Lunatix, a sputtering ticket marketplace. Now called Sports Illustrated Tickets, the business has signage deals with 13 venues around the world including a New Jersey-based stadium — the home of the New York Red Bulls soccer team. The service expects to generate $500 million in revenue this year.
Authentic also uses Sports Illustrated-sponsored events such as the ones held at the Super Bowl to entertain clients for its other businesses and makes tickets available to the public. SI will host an event for Authentic at the Masters golf tournament in Augusta this week and has a permanent high-end, track-side hospitality space at Churchill Downs in Kentucky called Club SI.
Authentic specializes in acquiring and investing in famous retail properties that have foundered. The firm has acquired such names as the outerwear retailer Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers and Reebok, and in January took a 51% share in the fashion brand Guess.
ABG enlists outside operators to run the brands. Those operators pay an ongoing license fee to ABG, which also takes a cut of the revenues.
That was the plan when Authentic bought Sports Illustrated from Meredith Corp., now known as People Inc.
After the purchase, Authentic entered a $15-million-a-year licensing agreement with Arena Group (at the time known as Maven) to run Sports Illustrated. A New York-based digital media company, Arena operated such well-known titles as Men’s Journal, Parade and TheStreet. But the partnership unraveled when Arena used AI for sponsored content on Sports Illustrated’s website, which sounded alarm bells at the esteemed publication.
Sports Illustrated’s 2026 Super Bowl party at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
(Sports Illustrated)
The Arena Group acknowledged it hired an outside firm to create product reviews that used fake bylines. The scandal coincided with the termination of its chief executive, Ross Levinsohn, who once held a leadership role at the Los Angeles Times.
The relationship with Authentic worsened when Arena’s majority owner, Manoj Bhargava, took over as interim chief executive. The founder of 5-Hour Energy, Bhargava tried to fire Sports Illustrated’s unionized editorial staff and renegotiate a lower licensing fee from Authentic. He also used the magazine’s editorial pages and website to promote his energy drink business.
The SI media business was unprofitable under Bhargava and Arena missed a payment to Authentic on its licensing deal. In March 2024, Arena announced it was shutting down the print edition of SI.
Around the same time, Authentic hired Minute Media, which runs the digital sites Fansided and Players’ Tribune, to take over Sports Illustrated. Bhargava didn’t go quietly; according to legal filings, he threatened to delete Sports Illustrated’s archive of intellectual property.
Authentic sued Arena for breaching the SI licensing agreement, which was settled. Many of the title’s laid-off journalists were rehired.
The experience with Arena was a harsh lesson for Authentic, which never had owned a media property before.
“The minute I make that phone call or anybody perceives that Authentic could control the newsroom, forget it, game over,” Dienst said, referencing Bhargava. “We had to move on.”
Minute Media has gotten high marks from the SI staff for its repair work on the media side of the business.
“It’s been a long time since we felt like we had an operator and support from the very top to not just grow what we’re doing day to day, but to grow what Sports Illustrated is going to look like 10 years down the road,” said Steve Cannella, editor in chief of Sports Illustrated.
SI’s union representing editorial employees praised Minute Media when it took over, and is close to agreeing on a new contract deal with the company.
Minute Media is aiming to expand the SI brand‘s reach across other media platforms to make up for the time lost under previous regimes.
“I’ve asked, ‘guys, what are all the things you wanted to do that you haven’t been able to do?’ ” said Minute Media President Rich Routman. “If we’re not trying new stuff, we’re failing.”
Some sports media types believe SI is largely a nostalgia play in a landscape where young fans go elsewhere for game highlights and turn to provocative hosts such as Pat McAfee on YouTube. But awareness goes beyond the audience of baby boomers and Gen Xers who grew up with the brand.
Lisa Delpy Neirotti, who leads the sports management program at George Washington University, recently conducted a study with her students on their media consumption habits. She said she was surprised to see high recognition of Sports Illustrated with the Gen Z crowd, and credits SI for Kids, the spin-off publication for younger readers launched in 1989.
“They would remember getting it in the mail, and it was the first thing that got them interested in sports,” Neirotti said. “There are a lot of positive memories that keep the brand alive.”
Dienst said the audience for SI has gotten younger under Authentic’s ownership. But he doesn’t disregard the oldsters who grew up with it.
“They’re very affluent and they’re super loyal,” he said.
“Anything can happen in a boxing match. It depends how Harper approaches the fight. If she comes out and genuinely tries to win the fight, she will walk on to something. If she goes super negative, it will go a bit later. But I do think Caroline will stop her.”
Prediction – Dubois
Mikaela Mayer – American three-weight world champion:
“I think Harper is a good boxer. You know she’s going to work hard, will do her best and always puts on fights that everyone wants to see.
“She’s challenged herself against some top names so you have to respect her for that. But I don’t know if she has the pedigree to beat Dubois, who has an extensive amateur career and is a very technically sound boxer.
“So if I had to put my money on it, I’d put it on a Dubois win but either way, it’s going to be a great fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Prediction – Dubois
Shannon Courtenay – bantamweight boxer:
“It comes down to discipline under pressure. The fighter who controls the tempo and doesn’t get emotional will win.”
PHOENIX — Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw and the 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
Parker, Holdsclaw and members of the 1996 Olympic team were all in attendance Friday at halftime of the UConn-South Carolina game during the women’s NCAA Final Four, where the selections were announced, as was Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.
They will be joined by longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers and Gonzaga coach Mark Few in the Hall of Fame.
Parker won three titles in the WNBA with three different teams: Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. She is the only player in league history to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
She also won two titles while playing in college for Tennessee under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, plus two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA MVP awards.
Delle Donne won two league MVP awards in 2015 and 2019, the second of which came when she led the Washington Mystics to their lone WNBA championship. Delle Donne became the first player in league history to shoot more than 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 90% from the free-throw line.
Holdsclaw won three straight titles at Tennessee from 1996-98, the first team to accomplish that. The 1998 championship was Tennessee’s first undefeated season at 39–0 and the Vols also set an NCAA record for the most wins in a season. Holdsclaw went on to have an 11-year WNBA career.
Stoudemire, who was the only NBA player in this year’s class, was Rookie of the Year in 2003 and became six-time All-Star. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns, where he teamed with D’Antoni.
Rivers has nearly 1,200 victories on his resume, which puts him eighth on the all-time wins list. He led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and also was in charge of the Los Angeles Clippers during their Lob City era.
Few has won more than 770 games at Gonzaga in his career at the school. He set the NCAA Division I men’s coaching record by winning 81 games in his first three years at the school.
Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals games over his 39-year career. He retired in 2016.
The enshrinement ceremony will take place in August at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.
