APTOPIX NCAA South Carolina UCLA Basketball

UCLA players celebrate after defeating South Carolina in the women's National Championship Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament game, Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Phoenix.

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UCLA faces a massive rebuild after a historic NCAA title run as the transfer portal opens

UCLA faces a massive rebuild after a historic NCAA title run as the transfer portal opens

Cori Close and the UCLA Bruins are going to have to work hard to repeat as champions. They lose their top six players to graduation after putting on one of the most dominant performances in championship history to win their first NCAA title and second overall, routing South Carolina by 28 points. But with the transfer portal opening Monday, the UCLA coach can build a new team quickly. Close has said that the school will be very active, looking to add five players. Challenging the Bruins will be the runner-up Gamecocks and coach Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks will be one of the favorites for the title when the Final Four moves to Columbus, Ohio, next year.