NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to Minneapolis, showcasing strides in equity

The four top college women's basketball teams will face off in Minneapolis this weekend in the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournament.

Last year, the NCAA came under fire for gender disparities in how its men’s and women’s tournaments were run. In response, the NCAA commissioned a report on its gender inequities. The report, released in August 2021, found that the NCAA has prioritized men’s basketball over women’s teams, and outlined a number of suggestions to address the disparities. 

This year is the first time that the Women’s Final Four is branded as March Madness alongside the men’s tournament. And basketball fans and athletes hope to see increased resources, branding and attention for the women’s tournament this weekend. 

MPR News host Angela Davis on Friday talked with a coach for the University of Minnesota’s women’s basketball team and an expert on women in sports about the Final Four Tournament and gender disparities. 

Guests: 

• Nicole LaVoi is the director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota.

• Carly Thibault-DuDonis is the associate head coach for the University of Minnesota’s women's basketball team