UCLA women’s basketball is coming off a historic season after winning the program’s first-ever national title against powerhouse South Carolina.
Now in the offseason, the Bruins will travel across the border in July to play against the Canadian National team in British Columbia. This will be the first time that the Bruins will play in the W’HOOP IT UP game on July 22nd, which has been a main staple for the Canadian women’s national basketball team.
Apr 5, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close speaks in a press conference after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks during the National Championship game of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The W’HOOP IT UP game has been a big event for Greater Victoria since arriving in 2023. They have built up a great relationship with the locals. The program set a then-record for home game attendance during the Rim2Rim exhibition series against Japan in 2023, drawing 4,600 fans in attendance, before surpassing that mark in 2024 during W’HOOP IT UP against Portugal, drawing more than 5,000 fans to Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
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UCLA Press Release
Apr 5, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close cuts down the net after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks during the National Championship game of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
In a press release from UCLA, head basketball coach Cori Close explains the excitement that she and the program feel about the opportunity.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to get better, so it was a no-brainer to sign on for W’HOOP IT UP,” said Close. “It will be such a great experience for us to play against Canada Basketball’s Senior Women’s National team. We’re excited to create some ‘Remember When’s’ while we’re up north, compete at the highest level, and become closer as a team.”
UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close yells out to her players aas they take on the South Carolina Gamecocks during their NCAA women’s basketball national championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on April 5, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Michael Bartlett, President & CEO of Canada Basketball, also released a statement about UCLA’s invitation and spoke highly of the support from the basketball community in Greater Victoria and the amazing opportunity to play against the defending champions.
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“The support we’ve received from the Greater Victoria basketball community over the past several years has been incredible, and this game against UCLA will provide an important opportunity for our athletes and coaching staff as we continue our preparation for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament. We look forward to welcoming fans back to Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for another memorable night of basketball.”
Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Sienna Betts (16) during practice at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
What This Game Means for UCLA
This is not the first time the Bruins have traveled out of the country; back in 2023, they traveled all the way to Senegal to play the Senegalese national team, then to Germany to play a local German club team, Alba Berlin.
Apr 5, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Sienna Betts (16) with head coach Cori Close against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the National Championship game of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
However, now they will travel abroad as defending National Champions and play against one of the top-ranked FIBA national teams in the world, as Canada was ranked seventh in the FIBA Tournament. This game gave the Bruins more exposure as a program, with more and more high school and international players from Canada wanting to play for the Bruins.
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This is also great for Bruins fans, as they will be able to see what next year’s team will look like and see the new players on the roster.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucla as UCLA Women’s Basketball Traveling Internationally for Exhibition Match.
