18 Photos of Beyoncé and Jay-Z Through the Years to Celebrate Their 18th Anniversary

If music had a reigning couple,BeyoncéandJay-Zwould claim the throne.

People Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2008, in 2026Credit: Michael Caulfield/WireImage; Beyonce/Instagram

The A-list couple, who married 18 years ago on April 4, sharethree children:Blue Ivy, born in 2012, and twins Rumi and Sir, born in 2017. With a combined 60Grammy Awardsbetween them, the Carters have long since established themselves as industry pioneers and visionaries — all while ensuring their family of five stays strong.

As they celebrate their 18th anniversary, look back on their relationship with a photo of the pair from every year since theirManhattan nuptials.

2009

Jay-Z and Beyoncé in 2009Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

A year after their marriage, Beyoncé showed off her glitzy diamond ring in a backstage photo with her husband at the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards.

2010

Jay-Z and Beyoncé perform at Coachella in 2010Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Beyoncé joined Jay-Z onstage to perform "Young Forever" during his 2010 headlining performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

2011

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the NBA All-Star Game in 2011Credit: Ray Amati/NBAE via Getty

The two love a good basketball game, cozying up to each other at the 2011 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

2012

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at a Nets and Knicks game in 2012Credit: James Devaney/FilmMagic

At a New York Knicks game against the New Jersey Nets, they bumped fists in a sweet court-side moment.

2013

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the inauguration in 2013Credit: Win McNamee/Getty

After PresidentBarack Obama's re-election, Jay-Z and Beyoncé stepped out arm-in-arm for the inauguration in Washington, D.C.

2014

Beyoncé and Jay-Z during the On the Run tour in 2014Credit: Myrna Suarez/WireImage for Parkwood Entertainment

They went on their first joint tour in 2014, sharing an onstage kiss during their stop in the City of Love.

2015

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the 2015 Met GalaCredit: Mike Coppola/Getty

Jay-Z accompanied a sparkling Beyoncé to the 2015 Met Gala, where she wore a bejeweled Givenchy gown.

2016

Beyoncé and Jay-Z campaigning for Hillary Clinton in 2016Credit: Brooks Kraft/Getty

The power couple headlined a concert for Democratic Party candidateHillary Clintonat a pre-election event in Cleveland.

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2017

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the 2017 Grammy AwardsCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for NARAS

A pregnant Beyoncé and Jay-Z attended the 2017 Grammys, where she performed two songs off her acclaimed albumLemonadeand received two trophies.

2018

Beyoncé and Jay-Z during the On the Run II tour in 2018Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood Entertainment

They embarked on another joint stadium tour following the release of their collaboration albumEverything Is Love, showing off their love with another onstage kiss at their New Jersey stop.

2019

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at 'The Lion King' premiere in 2019Credit: Dave J Hogan/Getty

Jay-Z supported his wife at the premiere of her filmThe Lion King, in which she voiced Mufasa's love interest Nala.

2020

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the 2020 Roc Nation brunchCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Every year, Jay-Z's company Roc Nation holds a pre-Grammys brunch, and the couple always step out in style together.

2021

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at a Brooklyn Nets game in 2021Credit: Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE

The couple enjoyed a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks in N.Y.C. after stay-at-home mandates were lifted.

2022

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the 2022 OscarsCredit: Chris Polk/Variety/Penske Media via Getty

Awards shows have become the norm for the pair, and they attended the 2022Oscarswhen the singer earned a Best Original Song nomination for her song "Be Alive" fromKing Richard.

2023

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the 2023 GrammysCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

In recent years, the couple have turned the Grammy Awards into their annual date night, bringing their best black tie attire to the 2023 ceremony.

2024

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the 2024 GrammysCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

At the 2024 Grammys, Beyoncé teased her eighth studio album with a tip of her cowboy hat as the two struck a pose at their table.

2025

Jay-Z and Beyoncé at the 2025 GrammysCredit: Francis Specker/CBS via Getty

They returned for the 2025 Grammys, where Beyoncé claimed her long-overdue album of the year trophy forCowboy Carter.

2026

Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the 2026 Super BowlCredit: Beyonce/Instagram

Since Jay-Z's Roc Nation partnered with theSuper Bowlto produce the halftime show, the Carters are regulars at the Big Game — often bringing Blue Ivy along for the fun. During the 2026 game between the Seahawks and Patriots, Beyoncé and Jay-Z snapped a sweet suite pic.

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18 Photos of Beyoncé and Jay-Z Through the Years to Celebrate Their 18th Anniversary

If music had a reigning couple,BeyoncéandJay-Zwould claim the throne. The A-list couple, who married 18 years ...
US revokes green cards and visas of several Iranian nationals connected to Tehran government

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or U.S. visas of at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government, including two who have been detained by immigration authorities and are to be deported.

Associated Press

The latest actions were taken just this week when Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for either lawful permanent resident status, or to enter the United States. The steps follow a move late last year in which the visas of several diplomats and staffers at Iran's mission to the United Nations were also revoked.

In a statement on Saturday, the State Department said the niece and grand-niece of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport in 2020, had been arrested late Friday by immigration agents after Rubio revoked their green cards.

"Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement," the statement said, adding that Afshar's husband has also been banned from entering the United States.

Afshar and her daughter had been living a "lavish lifestyle" in Los Angeles for many years while publicly supporting the Iranian government and anti-American attacks, according to the statement.

She is "an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan," Rubio said in a post on X. "The Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes."

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The Iranian mission to the U.N. had no comment Saturday.

Afshar and her daughter are just the latest Iranians to have their legal status in the U.S. rescinded by Rubio, who recently revoked the visas of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, an academic and the daughter of Iran's former national security adviser Ali Larijani who was killed in a U.S.-Israel airstrike last month. Her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, also had his visa revoked, the State Department said. Neither are still in the U.S.

In early December, well before the surge of anti-government protests in Iran and the start of the war, the State Department revoked or declined to renew visas of several Iranian diplomats, including the deputy ambassador, and staffers at Iran's mission to the United Nations.

The department said Friday that action had been taken on Dec. 4 but declined to comment further "for privacy and security reasons" except to note that it was unrelated to either the protests or the war.

AP reporter Farnoush Amiri contributed to this story.

US revokes green cards and visas of several Iranian nationals connected to Tehran government

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or U.S. visas of at least four Iranian nationals c...
What to know about the A-10 and F-15E, the 2 American planes downed by Iranian fire

At least two American military jets -- an F-15E and an A-10 -- have beendownedby Iranian fire, officials told ABC News.

ABC News

One of the members of the F-15's crew was rescued while a search and rescue mission continued for the other, the officials said.

In a separate incident, an A-10 was hit by Iranian fire and managed to fly to Kuwait, a separate official said. The pilot in that case was rescued.

The conditions of the crew members aboard the aircraft are not known.

Here's what to know about the military jets — workhorses for the Air Force.

2 US jets downed by Iranian fire; search and rescue mission underway for 1 crew member

F-15E Strike Eagle

U.S. Air Force - PHOTO: An F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, takes off from Nellis AFB, Nevada, Feb. 20, 2026.

The F-15E has been a workhorse for the Air Force for decades. The F-15A made its first flight in July 1972, according to the Air Force. It was followed by the B variation, a single-seat C version and two-seat D model in 1979.

The E variant first came to Luke Air Force Base in April 1988, the Air Force said.

The powerful jet features "high engine thrust-to-weight ratio," allowing it to accelerate even while climbing vertically, and features tremendous maneuverability, allowing it to "turn tightly without losing airspeed," the Air Force said.

The E variant is a dual-role fighter, designed to operate in all weather and perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

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The F-15E has a rear cockpit for the weapons system officer with four screens that can display an array of data. The pilot has a glass heads up display and "doesn't need to look down into the cockpit, for example, to check weapon status," the Air Force said.

The F-15E can hit 1,875 mph and fly up to 60,000 feet. It can carry missiles and has a 20mm gun with 500 rounds of ammunition.

'No air defenses': Trump, Hegseth touted American dominance in Iran before jet was downed

A-10C Thunderbolt II

U.S. Air National Guard - PHOTO: Taking off to begin the combined arms demonstration, an A-10 flies past the audience during the Luke Days 2026 airshow, March 20, 2026, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

The A-10 "Warthog" has been around for decades as well, designed to support ground operations at low altitudes.

What it lacked in speed -- the Air Force lists its top speed as 420 mph -- it made up for in toughness.

The A-10 was meant to take hits and keep going, the Air Force says.

"The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm," the Air Force said. "Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost."

Pilots and the flight control system are protected by titanium armor and survivability is increased through "redundant primary structural sections."

In addition, to operating low to the ground, they can land in a variety of conditions and servicing is relatively easy with interchangeable parts on both sides of the aircraft.

In addition to air-to-surface weapons, the A-10 has a Gatling gun that can fire 3,900 rounds a minute, which can destroy tanks.

The A-10 flew over 8,000 sorties in the Gulf War and was mission capable 95.7% of the time, the Air Force said.

What to know about the A-10 and F-15E, the 2 American planes downed by Iranian fire

At least two American military jets -- an F-15E and an A-10 -- have beendownedby Iranian fire, officials told ABC News. ...
Palestinian babies separated from parents at start of war, reunited after 2 years

When Sundus al Kurd and her daughter Bissan were separated at the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, she wasn't sure she'd see her again. Bissan was only a few days old when her mother allowed her to be medically evacuated from the Gaza strip to Egypt.

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The premature baby's life was saved, along with others, by the World Health Organization and Palestinian Red Crescent during the height of the conflict, but now the two have been reunited.

"After all this time, my daughter is finally back in my arms!" al Kurd, a young Palestinian mother, exclaims as she held her child for the first time in over two years.

Ramadan Abed/Reuters - PHOTO: Families reunite with children who were evacuated from Gaza as premature babies, in Gaza Strip

'Horror' in Gaza is 'incomprehensible,' says US doctor who treated patients there

"Every day, I lived with fear -- fear that I might never hold her again, fear that she might forget me. But the moment I held her in my arms again, it felt like she had never been away. That moment was complete joy!" the 27-year-old al Kurd told ABC News.

Bissan, who has spent the last 2 1/2 years in Egypt, had been one of 33 premature babies trapped inside the Al Shifa hospital as the Israeli military laid siege to it in November 2023.

"Being reunited with my daughter is something I cannot fully describe. It is a mix of relief, love, and something deeper -- like life returning to me after being paused for years," al Kurd said.

Over half of Gaza's hospitals are non-functional: WHO

"The first night we spent together was very emotional. I couldn't sleep. I kept watching her, holding her, making sure she was really there beside me. I was afraid to close my eyes, as if it was all a dream that might disappear," she said.

Bissan's life had been in imminent danger in November 2023, doctors said. The neonatal unit she was in at Al Shifa hospital was running out of fuel and oxygen, cut off by the Israeli army, which had encircled the hospital, saying that Hamas had a hidden command center in its precincts, something both Hamas medical teams there strongly denied.

"They were meant to die without incubators, without oxygen, without water, but they survived every single stage of this terrible reality," Dr. Ahmed Mokhallalati, the former head of plastic surgery at Al Shifa Hospital, told ABC News.

Ramadan Abed/Reuters - PHOTO: Families reunite with children who were evacuated from Gaza as premature babies, in Gaza Strip

Israeli military warns Gazans to evacuate Al-Shifa Hospital as raid continues

Mokhallalati was one of the few doctors who remained at Al Shifa throughout the Israeli siege.

"Most of the doctors were surgeons, not even pediatricians, but we felt we had to do our best to keep these kids alive," he said. "We felt these kids were like our own babies. Every morning, we would go just to make sure they were still alive."

He said that the extreme danger of the situation forced some parents to abandon their babies.

"There were no parents because the hospital was bombed and people were forced to flee to save their other children," Mokhallalati said. "In the calculus of survival, mothers fled with the children who could run and left behind those who could not, making an impossible choice."

The premature babies were left fighting for their lives for days, with one doctor and six nurses caring for them in ever-worsening conditions, he said.

"We did not know their names, we did not know their parents. They had no one to take care of them. They were wearing only small wristbands, usually with their mothers' names, and that was the only thing we knew about them," Mokhallalati said.

Not all the babies survived those difficult days. Five died as the team struggled to keep them fed and warm, but Mokhallalati was amazed that so many of the babies made it.

"They were meant to die at many stages but they survived every single challenge," adding, "They were the only feeling of hope we had in all of this chaos and destruction."

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On Nov. 19, 2023, they were rescued after the WHO and the Palestinian Red Crescent were given access to the hospital. They carried the precious cargo through a war zone to a hospital in Rafah, in southern Gaza, before taking them across the border to Egypt, officials said.

"Twenty-eight were evacuated to Egypt, but seven more died there due to the difficult conditions, leaving 21 survivors. Of those, 11 have now returned on March 30, while four others came back earlier when Rafah crossing opened, and six remain in Egypt with their families," Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, the head of pediatrics and neonatal care at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, told ABC News.

Among those returning was 2-year-old Azzhar Kafarna. Her mother, Heba Saleh, described the ordeal of their separation to ABC News.

"For two and a half years, I felt something missing all the time," she said.

"I missed everything -- her first smile, her first steps, even the little things that any mother waits for. I used to imagine her ... how she looks now, how her voice sounds, and if she would recognize me when we finally meet," Saleh said.

She was nervous about their reunion, "When I saw her again, I didn't know what to feel. I just hugged her tightly. It felt like I was holding all the days we lost in that one moment."

Al-Farra examined all the toddlers when they returned to Gaza this week.

"All of the children are in generally good condition, with normal weight and growth, but many are facing complications linked to extreme prematurity," he said.

Al-Farra says many of them, "have vision problems and need glasses because their eye nerves were not fully developed," like Bissan, who wears a bright red pair of spectacles.

However, not all of them have come back to happy reunions.

Bissan, who spent the last 2 1/2 years in Egypt, had been one of 33 premature babies trapped inside the Al Shifa hospital as the Israeli military laid siege to it in November 2023.

"I don't think all of these children have parents to return to. Some of their families were likely killed during the war," Al-Farra said.

"In one case, there is real confusion over the child's identity, with more than one person claiming the baby. We are still trying to identify the family, but without access to DNA testing in Gaza, we cannot confirm who the child belongs to," he said.

Fear returning to Gaza

Both the mothers ABC News spoke with were nervous about their children returning to Gaza.

"As a mother, I feel everything at once. I'm happy she's finally with me ... but at the same time, I feel guilty, even though I had no choice. I keep thinking about all the moments I wasn't there for." Saled said.

After 2 years of Israel-Hamas war, a systematic and brutal conflict continues amid glimpses of potential peace

"And of course, I'm worried about raising her in Gaza. I want her to feel safe, to live a normal life, but the situation here is not easy," Saled said.

That sentiment was echoed by al Kurd.

"I am also worried. My daughter has never heard the sound of bombing before. I am afraid of how she might react if she experiences it here in Gaza. This fear is always in my heart."

"I wish for my daughter to have a better future, a life that is safer and more stable than the one we are living now," al Kurd said.

Palestinian babies separated from parents at start of war, reunited after 2 years

When Sundus al Kurd and her daughter Bissan were separated at the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023, she wasn'...
UCLA tops Texas to avenge only loss, will play for 1st title

PHOENIX -- Lauren Betts had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and her blocked shot with 18.1 seconds remaining helped UCLA avenge its only loss of the season on the biggest stage in a 51-44 victory over Texas in an NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal on Friday.

Field Level Media

Kiki Rice had 11 points and Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens added 10 apiece for the Bruins (36-1), who won their 30th straight and will play for their first NCAA title against fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina on Sunday.

"Quite frankly, we didn't play to our best offensively," UCLA coach Cori Close said. "I remember after the Iowa game when we won the Big Ten championship tournament, I told our team that you cannot fall in love with pretty offense and think that it's going to be like this every game. I told them there's going to be a game in the NCAA Tournament that you're going to have to just grind it out and do it with your defense."

Betts had her 14th double-double of the season and doubled her point total from the first meeting, when she had eight points and seven rebounds in a 76-65 loss to Texas in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas on Nov. 26. She averages 17.2 points a game.

"This is something that we've all dreamt of being in the position," Betts said. "We're all very thankful. We expected to be here."

Kyla Oldacre had 11 points and was the Longhorns' only-double digit scorer on a night when Texas shot only 30.8% from the field.

Longhorns leading scorer Madison Booker (19.3 ppg) scored only six points due to 3-of-23 shooting from the field.

"Honestly, every shot I took I thought was going in," Booker said. "I can't pinpoint it. It was surprising I couldn't get out of that funk."

Betts put UCLA up 42-30 with 6:11 left, and her jumper with three minutes to go made the lead 47-37 before Texas closed.

The Longhorns scored seven straight points capped by Jordan Lee's driving layup to make it 47-44 with 1:02 left before Betts blocked Booker's driving layup in the waning seconds.

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"The entire game, the coaches are just continuously telling me sprint back, sprint back, sprint back," Betts said. "My job today was help in any way I can inside the paint. As soon as I saw her getting downhill, I'm like, all right, please block this, just don't let her score. I was in a good position. I trust my work and my defense."

Booker said she slipped on the play, adding, "That's not what we wanted."

Rice made four free throws around a Texas missed shot in the last 13.3 seconds for the final margin.

Rori Harmon had eight points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals for the Longhorns (35-4), who had won 12 in a row. Harmon shot 4 of 11 from the floor.

Booker made the first field goal of the game 37 seconds in and did not score again until her jumper with 5:48 left in the fourth cut the Bruins' lead to 42-32.

The Longhorns had held their previous NCAA Tournament opponents to an average of 49.5 points per game and had outscored them by an average of 35.5 points.

Neither team shot well in a lethargic first half, which ended with UCLA leading 20-17. Texas was 8 of 32 from the field and the Bruins were 9 of 24.

Texas did not break 20 points until Oldacre made a layup with 5:54 remaining in the third quarter.

"I thought (UCLA) played very hard," Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. "Aggressive. Played a lot like the way we like to play. In our locker room, we felt like we let one get away.

"This will haunt me until the day I die. We couldn't make a shot tonight. We had plenty of good looks. It's part of the cruelty that is the game sometimes."

--Jack Magruder, Field Level Media

UCLA tops Texas to avenge only loss, will play for 1st title

PHOENIX -- Lauren Betts had 16 points and 11 rebounds, and her blocked shot with 18.1 seconds remaining helped UCLA av...
UConn's Geno Auriemma doesn't regret what he said about Dawn Staley: 'Why would I?'

Geno Auriemmahad quite a bit to say to and aboutDawn Staleyduring his UConn women's basketball team's 62-48 loss to South Carolina in the2026 Final Fouron Friday, April 3.

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It turns out he had even more to say after it.

Even the end of the Huskies' perfect season, bid for a second-consecutive championship and 54-game win streak was overshadowed by aterse exchange between him and Staleyas they went to shake hands just before the final buzzer. When the final remaining fractions of a second played out, Auriemma went back to his team's locker room without shaking the hand of Staley or any of South Carolina's players or coaching staff.

<p style=The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, with emotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.

That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.

Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks and head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies exchange words during the fourth quarter in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley (R) yells at Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley yells out at the referee during their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game against the Connecticut Huskies at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley yells out at the referee during their NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal game against the Connecticut Huskies at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 3, 2026. Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma yells to his team against South Carolina at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies gestures during the third quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks gestures during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the fourth quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma reacts in the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts during the first quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks on during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts in the first quarter against the UConn Huskies during a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Head coach Geno Auriemma of the UConn Huskies looks on during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 03, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley yells to her team around an official against Connecticut at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley yells to her team around an official against Connecticut at the Mortgage Matchup Arena during a Final Four semifinal game in Phoenix, Ariz. on April 3, 2026. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemmare reacts during the second half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma bring intensity to SC‑UConn. See photos

The Final Four matchup between South Carolina and UConn was played with intensity throughout, withemotions building as the game reached its closing stretch.That tension surfaced late as the outcome was decided, leading to visible reactions and an exchange between two of women's basketball's most prominent coaches.Above, UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley react during the second half of the 2026 Women's Final Four semifinal at Mortgage Matchup Center.

What was at the root of the altercation? After initially side-stepping a question in his post-game news conference about the flare-up, Auriemma said it stemmed from having to wait for three minutes for Staley during the customary pregame handshake between coaches.

"For 41 years I've been coaching, 25 Final Fours and before the game, the protocol is you meet at halfcourt,"Auriemma said. "Anybody ever see that before? Two coaches meet at halfcourt and shake hands. Correct? Ever see it? They announce it on the loud speaker. And I waited there for like 3 minutes. (shrugs) So it is what it is."

Staley, for her part, said she wasn't sure what caused it.

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"I have no idea, but I'm going to let you know this, I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity," Staley said in a post-game interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe. "So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did, I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game, I didn't know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff's hand, I don't know what we came with after the game, but hey sometimes things get heated. We move on."

REQUIRED READING:'What are you doing dude?': Social media reacts to Geno Auriemma-Dawn Staley altercation

Emotions were running high for Auriemma even before his team lost. During an in-game sideline interview with Rowe entering the fourth quarter, and with the Gamecocks up by five, the 12-time national champion unloaded in a way few coaches do in such settings, complaining about the foul disparity between the teams and Staley, who he said "rants and raves on the sideline and calls the refs some names you don't want to hear."

After the game, Auriemma said he wanted "to make sure there's not a double standard. I'm of the opinion that if I ever talk to an official like that, I would get tossed. So I just want to make sure there's not a double standard, that some people are allowed to talk to officials like that and other people are not. That's it."

When asked in his post-game news conference if he had any regrets about his answer in his interview with Rowe, Auriemma stood by his words.

"I don't have any regrets with what I said to Holly Rowe. Why would I? Why would I? I've been coaching a long time, I've never had a kid change their jersey because somebody ripped it," he said. "And the officials said, 'I didn't see it.' A lot of things happened in that game. Unless you're on that sideline you have no idea what's happening on that sideline."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Geno Auriemma doubles down on Dawn Staley comments, doesn't regret what he said

UConn's Geno Auriemma doesn't regret what he said about Dawn Staley: 'Why would I?'

Geno Auriemmahad quite a bit to say to and aboutDawn Staleyduring his UConn women's basketball team's 62-48 loss ...

 

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