first natty in the NCAA era. never forget Anne Meyes and the 1978 AIAW champions.
A CHAMPION MADE HERE 🐻
UCLA WINS ITS FIRST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
UCLA WINS ITS FIRST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
April 5, 2026 at 9:48 PM
first natty in the NCAA era. never forget Anne Meyes and the 1978 AIAW champions.
The 1978 AIAW Championship was the last time UCLA was in the Final Four. It was also the first time the women *had* a true Final Four, held on its own weekend, in a major venue, shown on television. On the legacy of that run from 1978:
This Isn’t UCLA’s First Women’s Final Four
It may not be in the NCAA record books, but the 1978 AIAW championship is a big part of the Bruins’ storied program history.
www.si.com
April 4, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The 1978 AIAW Championship was the last time UCLA was in the Final Four. It was also the first time the women *had* a true Final Four, held on its own weekend, in a major venue, shown on television. On the legacy of that run from 1978:
First NCAA National Championship. They won an AIAW National Championship in 1978.
Congratulations ladies!
Congratulations ladies!
April 6, 2026 at 3:01 AM
First NCAA National Championship. They won an AIAW National Championship in 1978.
Congratulations ladies!
Congratulations ladies!
COURT QUEENS comes out in one month! Women’s basketball from the 1890s to 2020s, in words and pictures, from AAU to AIAW to WBL to WNBA. You can preorder now wherever you get your books ✨ www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/emma-...
February 17, 2026 at 5:31 PM
COURT QUEENS comes out in one month! Women’s basketball from the 1890s to 2020s, in words and pictures, from AAU to AIAW to WBL to WNBA. You can preorder now wherever you get your books ✨ www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/emma-...
I'm stuck on this today. The NCAA tried everything to destroy women's intercollegiate sports in the 1970s and the org that oversaw them, the AIAW. When they realized they couldn't, they destroyed the AIAW and absorbed women's sports, then spent decades giving bare minimum support and resources.
March 3, 2024 at 8:17 PM
I'm stuck on this today. The NCAA tried everything to destroy women's intercollegiate sports in the 1970s and the org that oversaw them, the AIAW. When they realized they couldn't, they destroyed the AIAW and absorbed women's sports, then spent decades giving bare minimum support and resources.
UCLA finally has its breakthrough under Cori Close. The Bruins’ first women’s Final Four since 1979, in the AIAW era.
March 30, 2025 at 9:29 PM
UCLA finally has its breakthrough under Cori Close. The Bruins’ first women’s Final Four since 1979, in the AIAW era.
Second. It won an AIAW title as well.
April 5, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Second. It won an AIAW title as well.
Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice check out one last time for the UCLA Bruins.
The countdown is on the first NCAA Women's basketball Championship in UCLA WBB History.
(The Bruins also won the AIAW Championship in 1978)
#WCBB #MarchMadness
The countdown is on the first NCAA Women's basketball Championship in UCLA WBB History.
(The Bruins also won the AIAW Championship in 1978)
#WCBB #MarchMadness
April 5, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice check out one last time for the UCLA Bruins.
The countdown is on the first NCAA Women's basketball Championship in UCLA WBB History.
(The Bruins also won the AIAW Championship in 1978)
#WCBB #MarchMadness
The countdown is on the first NCAA Women's basketball Championship in UCLA WBB History.
(The Bruins also won the AIAW Championship in 1978)
#WCBB #MarchMadness
Final: UCLA 79, South Carolina 51.
A dominant display from the Bruins, who win their first women's basketball national championship since the AIAW era in 1978.
A dominant display from the Bruins, who win their first women's basketball national championship since the AIAW era in 1978.
April 5, 2026 at 9:44 PM
Final: UCLA 79, South Carolina 51.
A dominant display from the Bruins, who win their first women's basketball national championship since the AIAW era in 1978.
A dominant display from the Bruins, who win their first women's basketball national championship since the AIAW era in 1978.
Important to note that Hall of Famer Annie Meyers Dreysdale led her Bruins to win the AIAW National Championship in 1978 before women's college basketball was governed by the NCAA.
Now UCLA WBB program has TWO nattys!
Now UCLA WBB program has TWO nattys!
April 5, 2026 at 10:01 PM
Important to note that Hall of Famer Annie Meyers Dreysdale led her Bruins to win the AIAW National Championship in 1978 before women's college basketball was governed by the NCAA.
Now UCLA WBB program has TWO nattys!
Now UCLA WBB program has TWO nattys!
An important note: the only two programs to win both AIAW and NCAA championships are Louisiana Tech and now, UCLA. That is how you bridge eras. And it is why Cori Close is so quick to credit Ann Meyers Drysdale and the ‘78ers.
Of course: story TK @theixsports.bsky.social.
Of course: story TK @theixsports.bsky.social.
April 6, 2026 at 4:09 AM
An important note: the only two programs to win both AIAW and NCAA championships are Louisiana Tech and now, UCLA. That is how you bridge eras. And it is why Cori Close is so quick to credit Ann Meyers Drysdale and the ‘78ers.
Of course: story TK @theixsports.bsky.social.
Of course: story TK @theixsports.bsky.social.
This is just totally ahistorical. Feminists like the AIAW leaders Christine Grant and Charlotte West explicitly wanted women's athletics to develop on its own terms rather than be folded into men's programs.
Fun fact: Women's sports are segregated not to protect women, but to protect *men* from losing *to* a woman.
Don't believe me? Look up Jackie Mitchell. Struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Then suddenly women were unfit to play baseball.
Don't believe me? Look up Jackie Mitchell. Struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Then suddenly women were unfit to play baseball.
The existence of women's sports is a historical one that was reinforced at regular intervals by patriarchal assumptions that women are more fragile and need to be "protected"
It doesn't reflect any statistical truth
(1/2)
It doesn't reflect any statistical truth
(1/2)
April 23, 2026 at 6:52 PM
This is just totally ahistorical. Feminists like the AIAW leaders Christine Grant and Charlotte West explicitly wanted women's athletics to develop on its own terms rather than be folded into men's programs.
NCAA did the AIAW dirty. Makes me irate.
April 5, 2026 at 9:58 PM
NCAA did the AIAW dirty. Makes me irate.
AIAW in 1978.
Watching folks try to word UCLA’s championship is funny. Yes, it’s their first NCAA women’s basketball national championship. No, it’s not their first women’s basketball national championship.
April 5, 2026 at 9:54 PM
AIAW in 1978.
AIAW - all Italians are White
October 26, 2023 at 5:02 PM
AIAW - all Italians are White
After digging in to learn the full history of women’s basketball at UCLA, it becomes clear that the program’s second national title is momentous for reasons that stretch far beyond the passage of time.
www.theixsports.com/the-ix-baske...
www.theixsports.com/the-ix-baske...
UCLA's 1978 AIAW winners finally have company after NCAA title | The IX Basketball
Though not recognized by the NCAA, UCLA won its first national title in 1978 under the AIAW. On Sunday, the program won its second title.
www.theixsports.com
April 6, 2026 at 1:28 PM
After digging in to learn the full history of women’s basketball at UCLA, it becomes clear that the program’s second national title is momentous for reasons that stretch far beyond the passage of time.
www.theixsports.com/the-ix-baske...
www.theixsports.com/the-ix-baske...
re: Lynette Woodard, Caitlin Clark, and records: this is a wild way to learn that AIAW records have been disregarded and ignored. Lots of women played intercollegiate sports in the 1970s and the NCAA didn't want anything to do with them then and, clearly, ever since.
March 3, 2024 at 5:03 PM
re: Lynette Woodard, Caitlin Clark, and records: this is a wild way to learn that AIAW records have been disregarded and ignored. Lots of women played intercollegiate sports in the 1970s and the NCAA didn't want anything to do with them then and, clearly, ever since.
And if you would eventually like to read about that game—featuring a slew of Hall of Famers, in a wild year with *two* national championships for women's basketball, one in the AIAW and one in the NCAA, as part of a power struggle over the future of the game—I have a book suggestion for next year!
I'm working on a coffee table book about the history of women's basketball 🥰 This project has been such a joy to start mapping out + I'm so excited to have the chance to showcase the stories of so many incredible women
December 26, 2024 at 1:38 AM
And if you would eventually like to read about that game—featuring a slew of Hall of Famers, in a wild year with *two* national championships for women's basketball, one in the AIAW and one in the NCAA, as part of a power struggle over the future of the game—I have a book suggestion for next year!
UCLA’s NCAA WBB championship has put a light on its last championship in 1978 AIAW, which made me realize my ignorance of what the heck AIAW was. In short, the AIAW pioneered US college women’s sports while the NCAA fought against it.
April 6, 2026 at 10:51 PM
UCLA’s NCAA WBB championship has put a light on its last championship in 1978 AIAW, which made me realize my ignorance of what the heck AIAW was. In short, the AIAW pioneered US college women’s sports while the NCAA fought against it.
A month ago I talked about federated learning for medical data in the AIAW podcast
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5E...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5E...
AIAW Podcast E139 - Revolutionizing Healthcare with AI - Anders Eklund
YouTube video by AIAW Podcast
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2024 at 8:16 AM
A month ago I talked about federated learning for medical data in the AIAW podcast
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5E...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM5E...
And an AIAW 🏆 before there was an NCAA, and that's 23 in '24!
December 10, 2024 at 11:32 AM
And an AIAW 🏆 before there was an NCAA, and that's 23 in '24!
WOW. UCLA is getting closer to their first NCAA women’s championship—they won the 1978 AIAW championship which the NCAA doesn’t recognize between 1972 and 1982…
April 5, 2026 at 9:01 PM
WOW. UCLA is getting closer to their first NCAA women’s championship—they won the 1978 AIAW championship which the NCAA doesn’t recognize between 1972 and 1982…
The women of the AIAW were deeply worried and opined on the regular that the NCAA's takeover would lead to imposing a male model of competition on women. Whether you think the AIAW's approach was good or bad, they were trying to do something different. MEN DIDN'T LET THEM.
August 31, 2026 at 6:16 PM
The women of the AIAW were deeply worried and opined on the regular that the NCAA's takeover would lead to imposing a male model of competition on women. Whether you think the AIAW's approach was good or bad, they were trying to do something different. MEN DIDN'T LET THEM.
This resulted in a high-stakes power struggle over the governance of women’s collegiate sports. At that time, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women governed women’s events. Founded in 1971, the AIAW emphasized an educational, amateur-first model developed by women for women. /4
March 29, 2026 at 12:36 AM
This resulted in a high-stakes power struggle over the governance of women’s collegiate sports. At that time, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women governed women’s events. Founded in 1971, the AIAW emphasized an educational, amateur-first model developed by women for women. /4
Here is another for the record books…
@UCLAWBB now has 22 straight wins, a program best. They previously had 21 wins during the 1977-78 season, the same year the Bruins won the AIAW championship.
@UCLAWBB now has 22 straight wins, a program best. They previously had 21 wins during the 1977-78 season, the same year the Bruins won the AIAW championship.
February 6, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Here is another for the record books…
@UCLAWBB now has 22 straight wins, a program best. They previously had 21 wins during the 1977-78 season, the same year the Bruins won the AIAW championship.
@UCLAWBB now has 22 straight wins, a program best. They previously had 21 wins during the 1977-78 season, the same year the Bruins won the AIAW championship.