Gabriela Jaquez had a senior season to remember, capping her final collegiate campaign with a glorious March Madness victory. She finished her final collegiate game on a high note, leading the UCLA Bruins to a 51-79 victory with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a steal on an efficient 8-for-14 shooting clip.
It was a statement game that showcased her improvement since debuting for the Bruins in the 2022-23 season. She finished her senior year with impressive averages of 13.5 points, 5.5 boards, 2.1 dimes and 1.1 steals through 38 starts. She peaked just in time to increase her stock in the upcoming 2026 WNBA Draft.
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As if to sign off on Jaquez's impressive season, Caitlin Clark tweeted a two-word approval on the Big Ten star's game. "Jaquez going crazy," Clark said about the 5'11" forward's fantastic outing against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Clark's Unfortunate History with March Madness
Clark knows how impressive Jaquez's run to the title is as the star player for the Iowa Hawkeyes. She led her teams to back-to-back national championship appearances, but they failed to win in both instances.
Her first finals run in 2023 ended with a 102-85 loss to Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers. She made it back in 2024, but Tessa Johnson's 19 points were instrumental in securing the Gamecocks' 75-87 win.
While she doesn't have a national title in her trophy cabinet, she's widely considered the best female collegiate hooper in history. She currently holds the all-time Women's NCAA D-I scoring record with an incredible 28.4 PPG.
