COLUMBIA, S.C. — Hundreds of fans continued the University of South Carolina's tradition of storming the Thomas Cooper fountain after the women's basketball team rolled through Iowa to win another national championship.
Seconds after the final horn, USC's Thomas Cooper fountain, which usually sits completely still and quiet, became the biggest party in Columbia. Nick Derkman was one of the students who celebrated the only way Gamecock fans know how: by getting into the fountain and cheering for the team.
"Jumping in that water, as dirty as it was and as gross as it can be, it's still absolutely awesome," he said. "One of my favorite experiences here."
Hundreds of students packed the ballroom at Russell House. Taylor Mitchell watched there and said it's been a ride watching Dawn Staley take over college basketball.
"She gives us something to be proud of. ... The fact that she's gotten this team together and they've been able to push through and go 38-0—it's how they got to 38-0," he said. "Even when they were down, they came back."
Camaria Steelwell, a freshman at USC, said jumping into the fountain was the best part of her college experience so far.
"At first, I was nervous, and then I saw, 'Oh, we got this. Dawn got us through it," she said. "I got to jump in the fountain with all my classmates, and I'm so excited."
Micheal Cotrotsios said he is confident this will not be the last time the Gamecocks hold the national championship trophy.
"Let's go, Lady Gamecocks. Three? Three championships? That's unheard of," he added. "It almost made me shed a tear. It's women, it's women's basketball. We run it."