When you beat the almighty South Carolina Gamecocks to win your first-ever national championship, you must have played the game of your life. This UCLA team did exactly that, literally playing their hearts out. And what a game did Gabriela Jaquez have. The senior guard led the team with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. That’s the kind of performance that gets fans on their feet.
And on this occasion, WNBA star Caitlin Clark is definitely one fan in awe. Taking to her official X page, the Indiana Fever guard posted what perfectly described Jaquez’s performance in that crucial game. “Jaquez going crazy,” she wrote. And of course, Clark couldn’t be more right; this was indeed a crazy performance by all metrics. Because with that performance, Gabriela Jaquez became only the fifth player in NCAA history to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in a national title game.
Jaquez going crazy
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) April 5, 2026
Happy would be an understatement to describe how she feels, especially with such a performance. She was, in fact, literally crying after the game and still couldn’t hold the tears back in the postgame interview. “I knew we were going to do it,” she said, speaking with teary eyes. “Coming to UCLA, we all set out for a goal. I imagined this moment. I imagined this so many times. And I’m just so so proud.” And of course, the victory wasn’t the only thing that she imagined. In her own words, she also envisioned “crying a lot, the confetti, all the fans being here to support, and her family, which just means everything.”
“I imagined this moment … I’m so happy.”
Gabriela Jaquez is filled with emotion after UCLA wins its first NCAA title
pic.twitter.com/p1bmvodTeq
— espnW (@espnW) April 5, 2026
But while Gabriela Jaquez’s display might have been crazy as Clark described it, what the Bruins achieved as a team was even more. They literally outscored the Gamecocks 25-9 in the third quarter alone. This is a team that had been a defensive juggernaut all season. And they didn’t just outscore them. They held them to just 29% shooting from the field, their second-lowest mark of the entire season.
This was a display that showed hunger and a quest to make history. And of course, they did. This UCLA team will now be remembered as the first to bring home an NCAA championship to the Bruins.
What’s Next for Gabriela Jaquez After a Historic Championship Performance?
With the championship victory, Gabriela Jaquez effectively ends her collegiate basketball career on a high note. She will now turn her attention to what appears to be the most obvious next step. That is the 2026 WNBA Draft, which is scheduled for April 13.
Based on everything she showed this season, averaging 13.3 ppg and 5.4 rpg, and with the performances she put up on the biggest stage, Jaquez is firmly in the mix as a first-round pick. Some projections have her going as high as No. 6 overall. Some have also linked her to spots around No. 9 or No. 10, with teams like the Washington Mystics and Indiana Fever emerging as possible landing destinations. And interestingly, that Indiana Fever fit would potentially see her share the floor with Caitlin Clark.
Beyond the WNBA, Jaquez, being a Mexican international, is also expected to continue her journey on the international stage with the Mexican National Team. Mexico did not make it to the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, despite Jaquez ‘s strong individual performance in the pre-qualifiers. But she is likely to suit up for the team during the Centrobasket Women 2026 Championship.
