So I’m sure you’ve heard that tonight is UCLA’s “first Final Four.” If I could get a show of hands right now, half the arena would be proudly buying into it.
But let me set the record straight: This is not UCLA’s first Final Four. Not even close. And if the Bruins win it all on Sunday? That won’t be their first national title either.
In 1978, UCLA women’s basketball cruised to an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national championship. No, not the NCAA. Why? Because the NCAA didn’t want anything to do with women at the time. But the AIAW was just a different governing body. People treat it like intramurals.
I spoke to Denise Curry, leading scorer of that team, who said she wishes more people respected the AIAW and all the women part of it. She added that the recognition this year’s Bruins are earning is long overdue, finally shedding light to the legacy her team forged.
This one’s really worth a read. And let’s put those ‘first Final Four’ claims to sleep because ignoring the 1978 title is not just bad history, it’s erasure.
(Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)
