StoriesSeptember 5, 2024

UConn and South Carolina's national championship basketball teams are headed to the White House next week to celebrate their NCAA Tournament wins

AP
Dawn Staley claps during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France.
Dawn Staley claps during a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France.Mark J. Terrill - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dawn Staley toalks to Lisa Leslie before a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France.
Dawn Staley toalks to Lisa Leslie before a women's gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Paris, France.Michael Conroy - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
FILE - UConn center Donovan Clingan (32) celebrates cutting the net after their win against Purdue in the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz.
FILE - UConn center Donovan Clingan (32) celebrates cutting the net after their win against Purdue in the NCAA college Final Four championship basketball game, April 8, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz.David J. Phillip - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — UConn and South Carolina are headed to the White House to celebrate their latest NCAA basketball titles.

The schools announced the visits, where they will be honored by President Joe Biden, on Thursday.

UConn men's basketball, which won back-to-back NCAA Tournament titles for the first time since Florida did it in 2006 and 2007, is making its sixth visit to the White House.

It will be the first visit for South Carolina. Coach Dawn Staley and the Gamecocks did not go to the White House following championships in 2017 and 2022.

South Carolina finished last season 38-0, becoming the first undefeated NCAA Tournament champions since the UConn women accomplished the feat in 2016.

Staley, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and coach of the U.S. women's basketball team in Tokyo three years ago, recently served as a member of the Presidential Delegation to the Paris Olympics.

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