Gabriela Jaquez #11 and Gianna Kneepkens #8 of the UCLA Bruins react during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the National Championship of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 05, 2026 in … (Getty Images)
(FOX 9) - A Minnesota basketball star helped lead the UCLA Bruins women's basketball team to a national championship on Sunday.
Kneepkens shines in championship win for UCLA
What we know:
Gianna Kneepkens, a senior guard from Duluth, played 26 minutes in Sunday’s title game and scored 15 points for the Bruins. She also tallied four assists, a steal and a block as UCLA rolled over South Carolina 79-51.
Kneepkens transferred to UCLA this season after four years at Utah, including one lost season due to injury. In her final year at Utah, she averaged 19.3 points per game, shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from three-point range.
Big picture view:
The Bruins were a dominant force all year, losing just one game all season before capturing the championship.
Kneepkens’ scoring average dipped to 12.8 points per game this year at UCLA, as she played alongside more talent, but her efficiency remained high.
WNBA draft outlook for Kneepkens
What's next:
Kneepkens is slated to be a first-round pick in the WNBA Draft next week. ESPN projects she will be selected ninth overall by the Washington Mystics.
Scouts are especially high on her three-point shooting. For her college career, she shot a blazing 43.1% from the three-point line.