COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Gamecocks got a heroes' welcome Monday as they returned home to Columbia after winning the national championship of women's college basketball.
USC defeated Iowa 87-75 Sunday afternoon to win their third national championship in program history.
The school opened up the Colonial Life Arena, the home of the Gamecocks, to fans and 7,500 fans showed up. At about 2:30 p.m., the Gamecocks team and Coach Dawn Staley entered the room carrying the national championship trophy.
"It's an incredible honor to come back to this. to come back to you," Staley said.
The team beat Iowa 87-75 Sunday afternoon, the team's third national championship in program history and second in the last three years. It also completed an undefeated season, the first for the Gamecocks and only the 10th in the history of women's college basketball.
late this afternoon…the gamecocks made their way over to the colonial life arena….where they got a warm welcome from thousands of fans.
"We don't lose very many times in this place because of the environment that you all create," she said.
The doors to the arena opened at 12:30 pm, but eager fans had been lining up well in advance. Clad in garnet and black, the crowd inside the arena echoed the team's spirit with chants of "Sandstorm" and "Go Gamecocks."
In a gesture of support, University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis canceled classes from 1 to 3 pm, allowing students to join the festivities.
"We hope that this is an annual day off,' Staley joked.
"I mean it just shows the support and how much basketball means to our school," said one student who came to the event. "This is so exciting. I'm from out of state so this is so cool to me."
It's not just about them winning and that's great and everything but its also that they are such a good team," said another fan. "It's not like one person is the star its like everyone is loved and their fans are there for them for everything.
"They did it in in a way in which they lifted up each other and that is truly an organic chemistry that you couldn't pay real money to produce," Staley told fans.
Both the team and fans agree– they plan to be back in the exact same spot next year– hoisting another trophy.
"The revenge tour is over, now it's time for the repeat tour," said Gamecocks guard Raven Johnson.
The City of Columbia announced Monday they will host a championship parade for the team on Sunday at 2 p.m. It will take place along Main Street in downtown.