UConn Secures No.1 Seed, Joins UCLA, Texas, SC
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- UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in the women’s NCAA tournament, its 23rd such seed and first since 2021, after finishing the season 34‑0.
- Geno Auriemma said the top seed is not fundamentally different from a No. 2 seed and emphasized that the team must beat the best opponents regardless of seeding.
- UCLA was the second overall seed, with a 31‑1 record, and the selection committee cited the “observable component” of UConn’s wins as the edge in the vote.
- Texas received a No. 1 seed in the Fort Worth Regional after winning the SEC tournament and beating South Carolina twice earlier in the season.
- South Carolina earned a No. 1 seed in the Sacramento Regional, marking its sixth consecutive season as a top seed.
- NCAA will financially compensate women’s tournament teams for each round they play, adding extra units for championship game participants, mirroring the men’s tournament payout structure.
- Fort Worth will host half of the Sweet 16 regional games, while Sacramento will host the other half, and the Final Four will be in Phoenix on April 3.
Why it matters: UConn’s No. 1 seed secures a home opening game and a clear path toward a repeat title, while the NCAA’s new unit‑pay structure awards extra money to any women’s team reaching the championship, boosting conference revenues and narrowing the payout gap with the men’s tournament.
