UCLA senior Gabriela Jaquez in action against the Minnesota Gophers. (Courtesy: John McClellan via Wikimedia Commons)
PHOENIX — The UCLA Bruins won its first ever National Championship of the NCAA era, all thanks to contributions by senior guard Gabriela Jaquez, who became the team’s unsung hero. On a Sunday afternoon where the desert heat outside was matched only by the intensity inside the Mortgage Matchup Center, Jaquez didn’t just play a basketball game; she authored the final, definitive chapter of a storied collegiate legacy.
In the Bruins’ dominant victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks, she recorded a double-double: 21 points, ten rebounds, and five assists while playing nearly 34 minutes of action. But the box score, as impressive as it was, barely scratched the surface of the grit Jaquez displayed. Every 50-50 ball seemed to find its way into her hands. Every time the Gamecocks threatened to go on a run, it was Jaquez who halted the momentum with a timely bucket or a defensive stop that ignited the UCLA faithful in attendance.
As a result of her positive contributions to the team during their championship run, she was named to the 2026 All-Tournament team, alongside senior guard Kiki Rice and forward Lauren Betts, who also won the Most Outstanding Player award. While Betts provided the rim protection and Rice steered the ship, Jaquez was the connective tissue—the player who filled every gap and refused to let the moment slip away.
“For me, just going into the game doing whatever the team needed,” Jaquez said postgame, her jersey still stained with the sweat of a champion. “For me, just really focusing on defense and rebounding. That was a big part of our scouting report. I had open shots and I made ’em. I think that was just kind of what it was. Just super proud of this group and how we played as a team to get this victory.”
The journey to this Sunday in Phoenix wasn’t linear. For Jaquez, a senior who has seen the highs and lows of the program, this win served as the perfect denouement. It was the culmination of four years of “Bruin Magic,” a term often used but rarely felt as tangibly as it was today. As the final buzzer echoed through the rafters of the Mortgage Matchup Center, the realization set in: Jaquez was leaving the program exactly how she found it, but with a banner that will hang forever.
It was as special as it gets for the Bruins to not only make history, but to bond through sisterhood for life. That bond was forged in the quiet moments of the season, far from the bright lights of a Phoenix final.
Head coach Cori Close mentioned how she encouraged her players of UCLA to have positive mindset by writing ‘I will’ statements five to seven times. These weren’t just psychological exercises; they were manifestos. For Jaquez, those statements likely revolved around the very resilience she displayed on Sunday, a promise to herself and her teammates that no matter the score, the effort would never waver.
Gabriela Jaquez at the free-throw line during the 2026 Big Ten Tournament semifinal against Ohio State. (Photo: Group29/Wikimedia Commons)
“It’s just so rare in life that you can start a journey with a group of people and really envision something, then trying to reverse engineer a plan that will actually lead you to the point that we’re experiencing right now, that it actually happens, that you’re in that position that you had planned for,” Close said, reflecting on the meticulous preparation required to topple a giant like South Carolina.
“It’s just really with great humility. Man, we are so fortunate to be experiencing that. They earned every bit of it.”
The tactical “reverse engineering” Close spoke of was evident in how Jaquez handled the pressure. When the Gamecocks’ defense collapsed on Betts in the paint, Jaquez became the release valve. Her 21 points weren’t just a career highlight; they were the result of years spent perfecting a mid-range jumper and a slash-to-the-basket mentality that has become her trademark.
What matters more to Jaquez is her family, including one of her siblings, Miami Heat small forward and guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., being in attendance to witness the Bruins’ historical win. The Jaquez name has become synonymous with UCLA excellence, and on this Sunday, Gabriela ensured that the family legacy would include a National Championship ring.
After the championship presentation, she was seen sharing her special moment with her family, smiling and laughing while standing on a pile of confetti that looked like fallen gold. The image of her embracing her brother Jaime, two UCLA icons sharing a moment of pure athletic triumph, captured the essence of what this journey was about.
Gabriela Jaquez celebrates UCLA’s NCAA National Championship with brother, Jaime, along with her family. (Photo: Aya Abdeen | The9450)
“Thankfully, my whole family was here, both my parents, both my brothers,” Jaquez said. “A lot of aunts and uncles, cousins. I just really appreciate all their support being here. I’m really thankful that my older brother Jaime made the flight over here, to support not only me but this whole team. He’s really passionate about UCLA and our team. He has a lot of confidence in us, always supporting us.”
The support system extended beyond the stands. Throughout the Mortgage Matchup Center, the blue and gold faithful roared for every Jaquez rebound, recognizing that they were witnessing the end of an era. It was a career that began with promise and ended with the ultimate prize.
As she enters the 2026 WNBA Draft at The Shed in New York City, whichever team lands Jaquez will be incredibly lucky to have her on the team, as she is known for being scrappy on the defensive end. She leaves Westwood not just as a graduate, but as a blueprint for what a Bruin should be: tough, selfless, and ultimately, a champion.
In the desert heat of Phoenix, Gabriela Jaquez didn’t just finish her career. She immortalized it in the best way possible with Coach Close and her fellow teammates — as a national champion.
