Next Season

 A message from Steve...

So much can happen from one season to the next. 

The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship final score says it all: 

UCLA 79 - South Carolina 51 

But if you rewind just one year to the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball semi-final game… the final score tells a different story: 

UCONN 85 - UCLA 51 

A year ago, I was in the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, FL when UCLA walked off the court after that semifinal loss to the UCONN Huskies. If you were rooting for UCLA, you could feel the weight, the disappointment, and the silence that follows when a team works so hard and the season doesn’t end the way they had envisioned. 

And yet, even in that moment, I remember thinking they’d be back, and that they’d be back better than ever. Better, not just because they’re very talented, but because of who they are, the character of this program, and how they are coached by heart-centered leaders. 

Speaking of leaders, to quote my dear friend and UCLA Women’s Basketball Head Coach Cori Close... 

“Our talent is our foundation, but our character is our ceiling.” 

In that moment in Tampa, following that disappointing and decisive loss a year ago, the foundation didn’t change, but the ceiling was about to get raised. 

What we all know, but don’t always want to experience, is that setbacks don’t just test us, they reveal who we are. Setbacks expose our habits, challenge our mindset, and force us to ask ourselves a simply complex question... Now what? 

In my experience working with elite collegiate and professional organizations, this is where good teams, healthy leaders, and solid programs separate themselves. They don’t run from the disappointment. They sit in it, learn from it, and grow through it, and that’s exactly what Cori, her caring staff, and these amazingly resilient and talented student athletes did to prepare and bounce back for their... Next Season. 

I’ve had the privilege of sharing the Game On Nation message with this program at least once every season for the past 12 years. In my experience with UCLA Women’s Basketball since 2014, what stands out isn’t just their wins on the court. What stands out is their focus, discipline, work ethic, and their genuine love and intentional care for one another both on and off the court. 

This love and care starts with Cori and the coaching staff, and it spills over into the entire program. It’s the commitment to doing the little things over and over again when no one is watching. While the outcome makes the headlines, the process builds the team, and building this process doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in practice, in film sessions, in early mornings, in tough conversations, and in those quiet moments in the dark. That’s where confidence is built, where connection is formed, and where resilience becomes real. And maybe most importantly, that’s where joy is found. 

The joy is the part that often gets overlooked and what I respect and admire so much about this team. They don’t just reserve the laughter, playfulness, and joy for the championship moment. I’ve seen this team bring that energy in the grind, the growth, the shared struggle, and during the small wins along the way. 

From an 85–51 loss a year ago… to a 79–51 victory this past weekend. 

From dejection… to elation. 

From heartbreak… to history. 

And with all that comes a powerful perspective, and an understanding that challenges can become opportunities, setbacks can build connections, and hard moments can lead to meaningful growth. 

When the applause and confetti fades - and it inevitably will - and we all go back to our daily routine, this quote from Cori is a great reminder for all of us leaders as we strive for that proper perspective: 

“Banners hang in the gyms and rings collect dust. But who you become and who you impact you get to keep forever.” 

This mindset reminds me that making that impact is the ultimate win. The scoreboard matters, but it’s not the whole story. Whether we’re leading teams, coaching players, teaching students, or navigating our own seasons, here are three simple reminders that have helped me along the way: 

1. Trust the process, even when it’s not showing immediate results: Growth doesn’t always look like progress. If it’s rooted in love and truth, stay with it. 

2. Lean into the challenge: The hard moments aren’t detours, they’re part of the path and they can give us the fuel we need to continue onward and in the right direction. 

3. Find the joy along the way: Don’t wait for the end results to enjoy the experience. The journey is oftentimes where the pure joy, laugher, camaraderie, and connections come to life. 

For all of us, there will be ups and downs, there will be moments where it all comes together and you feel like you’ve won by 28. And there will be moments, meetings, projects, and games where you give it your best, leave it all on the court, and still lose by 34. 

With all that said, and UCLA Women’s Basketball season done, we can all learn from the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Champions. Let’s do our best to stay committed, stay connected, and stay grounded, so we can bounce back from tough losses, learn and grow from challenging experiences, love and laugh along the way, and prepare with excellence for... Next Season.